Dark Revenant
by Gendou
Summary: Vengeance is the theme of this extremely violent Ranma one-shot. I'll be honest - I'm not terribly proud of this fic. It's not my usual style, and it certainly would benefit from some proper editing. But it is my only completed work, so I figured I wou


  
[RANMA] - [LIME-SCENTED][DARK][XOVER][LANGUAGE][VIOLENCE][SPOILER]  
***********************************************************************  
  
Dark Revenant  
Version .2 (FFML release) (2nd Draft)  
  
A Ranma 1/2 Fan-Fiction  
-= By Gendou Knepper =-  
  
http://www.gendou.net  
  
Ranma 1/2 characters & situations created and copyright by:   
Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan/Kitty/Fuji/Viz/etc.  
Other copyrights are owned by the respective copyright owners.  
All copywritten material is used without permission.  
  
All other material is (c)2000 Gendou Knepper  
  
This story is a Fan-Fiction, and as such, is written for entertainment purposes only. So don't sue me. I don't have any money anyway.  
  
Please be advised that this story contains language and violence that may be unsuitable for younger audiences.   
  
This story takes place in an alternate dimension, so characters may act out of character.   
  
Characterizations, characters and situations are used from both the manga and the anime.  
  
Due to a lack of familiarity with Japanese customs, Western customs have been inserted where appropriate.  
  
The writer subscribes to an eclectic mix of American and Commonwealth English. Any and all spelling and grammatical errors are his own.  
  
The writer would like to thank his pre-readers, Chris Bookless, Justin Tarlton and Brock Pierce, for their help and support. Thanks guys.  
  
indicates foreign languages (languages other than Japanese)  
'' indicates thoughts  
// indicates signs  
** indicates italics  
  
Praise will be met with rejoicing by the people.  
Comments, creative criticism and questions are appreciated.   
Flames will be captured in a small jar and used at a later date.  
Insults and general stupidity will be ignored.  
  
mailto://gendou_knepper@hotmail.com  
  
  
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Sometimes, things don't turn out the way we think they will. I had my entire life mapped out, including the one I wanted to share it with. And it might have worked out too. I mean, there I was. I wasn't popular. But I was good at what I did. I saw myself as the best. The best at what I do, anyway. And she was the best at what she did. So it seemed logical that we would end up together. The fact that I loved her was just icing on the cake. Sure, maybe she didn't feel the same way. Sure, maybe she would beat the crap out of me all the time. But she would come around. She had to. Because we were meant to be together.  
  
And then he came around.   
  
In one fell swoop he had smashed my dreams and wrecked my hopes, and on top of that, he was now engaged to the woman I loved! Every time I tried to win her back from him, to rescue her from the controls he held her under, he would defeat me, mock me, scorn me. And to add insult to injury, he disdained her love and treated her like garbage.  
  
She didn't appreciate my efforts. Soon, it became clear to me what had to be done. Between them, they alternated between scorn and hatred, and complete rejection and blatantly ignoring me.  
  
I humiliated myself time and again for her sake. I would play my little game, allowing him to defeat me again and again, humiliating me, pretending I didn't have the ability to stop him.  
  
That would all end soon. And I would be the last man standing.  
  
- Excerpt from the personal files of The Master  
  
=======================================================================  
  
"Face it, Gosunkugi, you're a wimp. You never should have challenged me." Ranma pushed Gosunkugi Hikaru away from him in disgust. Gosunkugi fell on his rear with a whimper. "I tried to warn you away, but you insisted. I tried to go easy on you and you pull this!" Ranma held up his hand, bandaged with a torn fragment of his Chinese shirt. "Maybe I underestimated you, but I never expected you to hammer a nail through my hand during a man-to-man fight in the schoolyard."   
  
"You didn't take me seriously, Saotome. You got what you deserved," he whispered. Ranma shrugged.   
  
"Maybe, maybe not, Gos, but the fact is, you still did something dishonorable."   
  
"Anything-Goes, Saotome, right?" Gosunkugi sneered. Ranma snarled and slapped the smaller boy in the face with the back of his bandaged hand.  
  
"Don't you *dare* drag the name of my school through the mud with your own, Gosunkugi. Don't you *dare*!!" he hissed.  
  
Gosunkugi pushed himself to his feet and casually brushed himself off. He smiled at Ranma in a less-than-friendly way. "Why not, Saotome? You do it every day." He started to walk past Ranma. Ranma howled with rage and launched a spin-kick at Hikaru. Gosunkugi never saw it coming. His head snapped back with a crack and blood exploded from his mouth. His left eye socket crumpled like paper and his thin frame dropped to the ground like a puppet with severed strings. He twitched once and lay still.  
  
Ranma gasped in horror at what he had done. He dropped to his knees and tried to help Gos up. Failing to awaken him, he lifted Hikaru in his arms. The boy's head lolled at an unhealthy angle and blood trickled from his crushed eye. Jumping to his feet, Ranma did the only thing he could think to do. He ran to Dr. Tofu's, carrying Gos up and over the rooftops of Nerima Ward.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Doctor Tofu Ono carefully unfolded the blanket and laid it over Gosunkugi Hikaru's still form. Unfolding it further, he pulled the blanket up over the boy's head, covering his face. Turning back to Ranma with solemn face, he whispered, "I'm sorry." He watched silently as Ranma began to shake all over.  
  
"No no no no no nononononononono..." Ranma dropped to his knees, shaking violently. Tofu laid a gentle hand on Ranma's shoulder. Ranma pushed the doctor away, with a cry. "No, Doc, no, he can't be dead. I can't . . . I wouldn't . . . no!" he screamed.   
  
Tofu watched impassively as Ranma continued to gibber unintelligibly. He waited until the boy had seemingly shaken himself out. Ranma sagged back on the floor, buried his face in his hands and sobbed quietly. Tofu slipped from the room, the returned with two cups of tea. Pushing one into Ranma's hands, he sat down on the floor across from the young martial-artist.  
  
"What happened, Ranma-kun? Tell me exactly what happened." So Ranma outlined the events of the day; waking up to a splash of cold water, sparring with oyaji, eating breakfast, getting slammed into orbit by Akane, landing in the koi pond just in time to change and grab his school things, taking the high road to school, arriving in the schoolyard with only a few minutes to spare, wasting time knocking out Kunou-sempai, arriving at History class late, standing in the hall with water buckets, falling asleep in English class, bribing Hin-chan-sensei with some chocolates, eating lunch with Akane, eating lunch again with Ucchan who cooked some okonomiyaki for him, getting glomped by Shampoo who brought him ramen, getting attacked by Mousse, getting challenged by Gos, getting soaked by a defective water-fountain, getting glomped by Kunou, searching for some hot water, barely making it back to Math class in time, falling asleep in math class, getting assigned cleanup duty, arriving late at the soccer field for the fight, easily defeating Gos, being insulted by Gos and finally hurting Gos and bringing him to Doctor Tofu. Tofu listened to the long and detailed description in silence.  
  
"...so when I saw how bad he was hurt, I picked him up and brought him here, but I was too late," Ranma whispered, tears welling up in his eyes again. Tofu nodded solemnly.  
  
"Why did you kick him so hard, Ranma?" Tofu inquired gently. Ranma looked at his hands in horror, as if actually seeing blood on them. He had scrubbed them until they were raw. Ranma closed his eyes and shook his head, then looked up at the doctor.  
  
"I don't know. I was...I was...I was so *angry* with him. He just infuriated me, insulting my school and my honor like that. Usually, I consider Gos to be much weaker than me, but he *hurt* me." Ranma held up his bandaged hand. "I attacked him like I would Kunou or Ryouga. I guess I thought he could take it." Tofu nodded again, this time thoughtfully. Ranma continued, "I've never lost control like that, Doctor Tofu. Never." He looked up with pleading eyes. "Am I losing my mind? Am I going crazy?" Tofu bit his lower lip for a moment, then pushed himself to his feet without answering.  
  
"I'd like to run some tests, Ranma," he said finally. "I'll need to take some blood samples." He walked over to a drawer and withdrew a large syringe and several smaller sample tubes. Opening another drawer, he pulled out a small tourniquet band and a packet of alcohol-soaked wipes. Grabbing a disposable needle from the dispenser, he walked back over to Ranma. The boy had his head down, but he extended his arm silently. Just as silently, Tofu tied the band around Ranma's upper arm. Tearing open one of the wipes packets, he dabbed the crook of Ranma's elbow, then tapped a pressure point. A vein became visible immediately. He gently inserted the needle and drew the blood he needed. Withdrawing the needle, he cleaned the tiny puncture and untied the tourniquet band. Carefully, he transferred the blood to the smaller sample containers and disposed of the syringe. Finally, he turned back to Ranma. The younger man spoke first.  
  
"I'm a murderer, Doctor. You need to report this to the police." Tofu winced at the resignation in the boy's tone.  
  
"I'm not so sure, Ranma. I will need to report this to the authorities, but I don't believe you're a murderer. You may have been under some type of chemical influence." Ranma's head snapped up.   
  
"You really think so, Doc?" he whispered. Tofu glanced at the blood sample in his hand.  
  
"It's very possible. That's why I took these blood samples." Tofu replied, holding up the small vial. Ranma released his breath with a whoosh. He hadn't even been aware he was holding it.  
  
"Thanks Doc. I'm sure you'll find an explanation." Ranma suddenly became pensive. "We still need to tell the police. And Gosunkugi's parents." Ranma looked stricken for a moment. "How soon will you know? About the blood, I mean." Ranma glanced up at Tofu. The doctor shook his head slowly.   
  
"We won't know until sometime tomorrow afternoon, Ranma. Go home and rest. I'll take care of everything." Tofu helped Ranma to his feet. Ranma's face showed his gratitude as he stepped toward the office door. He glanced back at the sheet-covered corpse and shuddered.  
  
"Thanks Doc." He bowed low. "I'm very sorry." He stepped through the door and was gone.  
  
"Me too, Ranma," murmured Tofu softly, "me too."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Doctor Tofu Ono sat at his desk after finishing his examination of the blood samples. He had stayed up all night running every imaginable test on them. He needed to be sure before he contacted the authorities. Sure enough, he had found what he had feared the most.  
  
Nothing.  
  
There were no contaminants of any kind in Ranma's blood. Tofu had checked. He had even run magical tests on the blood, hoping to see if Ranma was under a spell of some kind. No dice. Tofu sighed, burying his face in his hands. Saotome Ranma was a friend. Worse, he was nominal brother-in-law to the woman Tofu was in love with. He shook his head, trying to clear it. What to do? If he called the authorities right now, Ranma would go to prison. It was that simple. And Tofu didn't want that. But the evidence was against Ranma.  
  
Wasn't it?  
  
Tofu Ono knew what he had to do. Standing, he glanced over at the body still lying on he examination table.   
  
"I'm sorry, kid," he whispered. Eyes hidden behind glasses watched as he walked over to the corner of his office and touched a hidden stud on the wall. A small panel slid open, revealing a keypad. Punching in the correct code, Tofu watched as a second, smaller panel slid open, revealing a wall safe. Dialing in the correct numbers, he opened it. It snapped open with a hiss of escaping gasses. Reaching inside, Tofu withdrew a tiny vial of dark-green fluid. Carefully, he laid it on the counter.   
  
Taking a beaker, Tofu filled it with water. Using a syringe, he added one drop from the vial to the water. Instantly, the water was infused with a pale-green tint. Taking another syringe, Tofu drew a small amount of the tainted water. Laying the syringe aside, he replaced the vial back in the wall safe and closed the doors. Only then did he pick the syringe back up. Walking over to the blood samples, he did the only thing he could think to do in his position.  
  
He contaminated the samples.   
  
One by one, he added a small amount of toxins to the blood. Further tests would reveal that Saotome Ranma had indeed been under the influence of mind-altering chemicals when he attacked and killed Gosunkugi Hikaru. Tofu squeezed his eyes shut. It was the only way. Quietly, he disposed of the remaining water and the syringe, using the biohazard incinerator in the corner. Setting aside the vials of tainted blood, he sat down at his desk and picked up the phone.  
  
=======================================================================  
  
- Three months after the death of Gosunkugi Hikaru -  
  
"Still, it's been pretty quiet around here since they left, huh?" asked Daisuke. Ranma nodded silently.   
  
In the days following the death of Gosunkugi Hikaru, a massive forensic investigation had taken place. Eventually, the authorities had determined that Saotome Ranma had been under the influence of toxins that had been ingested with food. The toxins were derived from an extremely rare Chinese plant and had been traced back to the proprietor of a local ramen restaurant. Gosunkugi's parents had begun an intense media and legal campaign to have the restaurant closed and the owner and her family deported. With the assistance of Councilman Tendou Soun, the measure condemning the Nekohanten was passed and Cologne, Shampoo and Mousse were deported back to China. That had been almost two months ago.  
  
"Yeah," muttered Hiroshi, "but I'm still glad they're gone, especially after what they did to you and Gos." Ranma nodded again, still lost in thought. Cologne had professed innocence to him, even in private, and Ranma still had his doubts about her guilt. The old ghoul was always plotting against him, but Ranma just couldn't see what she had to gain by making him crazy. Akane suggested that maybe she was hoping Ranma would go crazy and do something perverted with Shampoo. Ranma didn't know. All he knew was that things were indeed quieter without the Amazons around.   
  
"Can we talk about something else," he asked quietly. Daisuke looked surprised, but nodded his understanding. They entered 'Okonomiyaki Ucchan's' and sat down at the largest table in the back. Kenzan Konatsu smiled at them and minced over.  
  
"Hello, Ranma-sama," he said, "what can I get you gentlemen today?"  
  
"I'll have a special and a lemon-lime soda," Ranma replied.  
  
"Me too," said Daisuke.  
  
"Same here," agreed Hiroshi.  
  
"Us too!" cried Sayuri, walking into the restaurant. Yuka and Akane were with her. Konatsu finished adding the new orders, then glided back over toward the grill. Kuonji Ukyou took the orders and waved to them. They all waved back. The girls pulled up seats across from the boys. Akane shyly slipped her hand under the table and into Ranma's. He grinned and squeezed her hand gently. They had become much closer during the horror of the last few months. She had, for once, stood by him through thick and thin, and he, for once, had appreciated it for what it was. Even now, she was just about the only thing left that could still bring a smile to his face.  
  
The six teens chatted amiably amongst themselves while waiting for their food. Good-natured teasing and silly jokes were the order of the day. After finishing making their okonomiyaki orders, Ukyou brought the food to the table herself, the pulled up a chair next to Akane. Konatsu was watching the grill and since custom was light today, she felt she could take the time to sit and gossip with her friends.  
  
All-in-all, it was a normal after-school afternoon. Ranma sighed to himself. He just wished he could enjoy it more.   
  
=======================================================================  
  
- Later that night -  
  
"Where am I?"  
  
"You are here."  
  
"Where is here?"  
  
"Where you are."  
  
"And where is that?"  
  
"Here."  
  
Gosunkugi Hikaru sighed discontentedly. Getting answers from his captor was easy. Getting useful answers was impossible. He turned and examined the chamber he was in. It was dimly lit, the only light source were a few torches and a candle on the desk where the robed man sat writing with a large quill pen. He was always writing. He had tried to read what the man was writing once, but had been unable to. Not that the robed man had tried to stop him. Far from it, he had actually moved his sleeve aside to give Hikaru a better look. But the writing had been some horizontal left-to-right gibberish that Gos couldn't even identify. He paced some more.  
  
"What time is it?"  
  
"Now."  
  
"What time is that?"  
  
"The time that it is."  
  
"And when is that?"  
  
"Now."  
  
Gosunkugi muttered under his breath about old men and sticking feathered pens where the sun don't shine. Glancing around the room for what felt like the millionth time, he tried to find something recognizable. Unfortunately, although the entire room was filled with books and scrolls (it appeared to be a library of sorts), all of it was in that weird script. Gos closed his eye, feeling the darkness envelop him as he gave himself over to his memories.   
  
The last thing he remembered was taunting Saotome after being thoroughly whipped in a stand-up fight he had challenged Saotome to. Saotome had wheeled on him and . . .  
  
Nothing. It all went black. The next thing he remembered was waking up here. Whether it had been two days or two weeks, he wasn't sure. Time passed strangely for him, with no temporal references. He opened his eye. His captor had pushed back his chair and was standing. Gos knew what this meant. Time to eat.   
  
Meals here were a strange affair. The odd figure would sit down in a chair at a table, like in a restaurant. His meals were usually soup and bread. Gos watched in mild fascination as the man ate, tearing his bread with his long, thin fingers and dipping it into his soup. After finishing the bread, he would drink the soup and leave the table without another word. At some point during the day, the table would be cleared and a new meal laid out. Gosunkugi had watched for it, but had never actually seen the process occur.   
  
That his captor was a man, Hikaru was sure, but beyond that he knew little else for a certainty. His race was indeterminate due to his bizarre coloration; golden hued skin, long white hair and glowing golden eyes with oddly-shaped pupils. His manners were foreign, but his Japanese was flawless. His hooded robe was of the deepest black, and seemed to be made of a plush fabric, possibly velour or velvet. The hems of the robe were marked with odd symbols, most of which Gosunkugi didn't recognize. The few he did recognize were markings of power. He knew them from some old books on magic he had borrowed from the public library.  
  
The man walked silently back to his desk and sat down on his stool. Picking up his pen, he began writing again, the soft scratching of the quill against parchment the only sound in the room. Hikaru sighed and finished his own meal.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Gosunkugi Hikaru was bored. He had tried to start another conversation with his strange captor, but had gotten meaningless answers for his trouble. He secretly wondered if his keeper was really a Zen master. 'Nothing for it but to try again,' thought Gos. He sighed and walked over to where the man was writing at his desk.  
  
"What language is that?"  
  
"The language of magic."  
  
Hikaru blinked. That was the first informative answer the man had given him. He looked at it. Suddenly, and idea came to him.  
  
"Can you teach me the language of magic?"  
  
"No."  
  
'Kuso,' thought Hikaru. 'I thought I had it.' He decided to try another tack.  
  
"Can I learn the language of magic?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
'Better!' thought the young Japanese boy. He smiled. Out loud, he said, "How?" Silence met his question. Hikaru sighed. Suddenly, something caught his eye. One of the books on the massive shelves had moved. Rather than sitting flush, it was now jutting out at a precarious angle. He rushed over and snatched it from the shelf. The language on its spine was still unintelligible. He opened it. It was written in Japanese. It was a language tutorial. He shouted with joy.  
"Yatta!" He rushed over to his captor. "Thank you," he said, bowing low. The strange man just kept writing, not acknowledging the boy. Gos shrugged. Retrieving a candle for himself, he lit it and walked over to the corner and sat down.  
  
The book was an odd sort of tutorial, not only covering language, but also history and science. It also, however, seemed to be partially fantasy, referring to no fewer than three separate moons and associating them with different phases of magical alignment. The more Gosunkugi read, however, the more worried he became. It was clear that while the color white was associated with all that was good and holy, and red was assigned to cover those of a more neutral bent, it was also clear that the color black was the color of evil and darkness and all that is unholy. It also made clear that a magician's alignment could be identified by the color of his robe. Hikaru looked up, verifying what he had not needed to verify.  
  
His captor's robe was black.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Hikaru yawned. He had finished the book in a marathon of reading endurance. He set the book aside and glanced over at the robed figure at the desk. Gos yawned again. Sighing, he closed his eye for a moment, intending to rest for a brief period before looking around the library for something else to read. In a few seconds, Gosunkugi Hikaru was fast asleep.  
  
***  
Hikaru found himself standing outside Furinkan High. It was just after school, and a crowd had gathered to watch one of the all-too typical fights. As usual, Saotome was kicking the crap out of his opponent. Gos stepped forward, pushing through the crowd to try and see who the loser was who had dared challenge Saotome Ranma. Suddenly, Saotome screamed in agony. Gos got to the front just in time to see Saotome standing, holding his hand and glaring at his opponent. Blood seeped between his fingers and his face was twisted in pain. His opponent chuckled menacingly and stepped forward, swinging a massive hammer as he approached.  
  
"You weren't expecting that, were you," the skinny boy said, swinging his hammer. Saotome snarled, dodging the hammer, all the while wrapping his hand with a piece of fabric torn from his shirt. Ranma lashed out suddenly, catching the boy in the chest with his open palm. He collapsed with a wheezing gasp, slumping to the ground. Ranma stood over him, panting with pain. The fight was over.   
  
The crowd slowly dispersed as Ranma watched his opponent. Soon, it was only Gosunkugi, Saotome and the other boy. The other boy lay on the ground, wheezing. His back was still to Gos, and Hikaru couldn't see his face. Saotome reached down with his good hand and helped the loser to his feet. Gosunkugi gasped as he recognized the other boy.   
  
It was himself.   
  
Gosunkugi stepped back and hid behind a tree, watching events play out that he remembered experiencing. From the safety of his hiding place, Gosunkugi watched the final confrontation between Gosunkugi Hikaru and Saotome Ranma.  
  
"Face it, Gosunkugi, you're a wimp. You never should have challenged me." Ranma pushed Gosunkugi Hikaru away from him in disgust. Gosunkugi fell on his rear with a whimper. "I tried to warn you away, but you insisted. I tried to go easy on you and you pull this!" Ranma held up his hand, bandaged with a torn fragment of his Chinese shirt. "Maybe I underestimated you, but I never expected you to hammer a nail through my hand during a man-to-man fight in the schoolyard."   
  
"You didn't take me seriously, Saotome. You got what you deserved," he whispered. Ranma shrugged.   
  
"Maybe, maybe not, Gos, but the fact is, you still did something dishonorable."   
  
"Anything-Goes, Saotome, right?" Gosunkugi sneered. Ranma snarled and slapped the smaller boy in the face with the back of his bandaged hand.  
  
"Don't you *dare* drag the name of my school through the mud with your own, Gosunkugi. Don't you *dare*!!" he hissed.  
  
Gosunkugi pushed himself to his feet and casually brushed himself off. He smiled at Ranma in a less-than-friendly way. "Why not, Saotome? You do it every day." He started to walk past Ranma. Ranma howled with rage and launched a spin-kick at Hikaru. Gosunkugi never saw it coming. His head snapped back with a crack and blood exploded from his mouth. His left eye socket crumpled like paper and his thin frame dropped to the ground like a puppet with severed strings. He twitched once and lay still.  
  
Behind the tree, Gosunkugi reached up and felt the left side of his face. Feeling nothing out of place, he moved to his eye. He gasped. His left eye was gone. He had known something was wrong with it, but he had not realized until this very moment that it was completely gone, leaving a hollow socket under his sunken eyelid.  
  
On the soccer field, Ranma stood over his fallen opponent with a gloating sneer on his face. "Loser," he muttered, "you were never good enough to even lick my shoes." He kicked the body on the ground derisively, snickering to himself. He looked up. "Oh, hey, Akane, come check this out."   
  
Still hiding, Gos looked back over his shoulder and saw the love of his life, the beautiful and energetic Tendou Akane, coming over to where Ranma stood over the corpse.  
  
"What is it Ranma?" she queried. Ranma quirked a grin and pointed at the ground. She looked down at the crumpled form, as if seeing for the first time. "Oh!" She bent down and peered at it. "Wow, Ranma! Did you do this?"  
  
"Yup!" Saotome replied, rubbing his knuckles on his shirt in pride.  
  
"Oh, baby, you hurt your hand," Akane cooed, taking Ranma's hand in her own. She pulled Ranma over toward her. She kissed his hand gently, then took his face between her hands and kissed his lips. "I love it when you beat up wimps," she murmured between kisses.  
  
"Heh. I killed this one," Ranma pointed out. Akane simply smiled.  
  
"Even better," she whispered. They kissed long and deep for several seconds, then drew back from each other. Akane cocked her head to one side and examined Gosunkugi's cooling corpse more closely. "What was his name again?"   
  
"Uhm," Ranma scratched the back of his head with his good hand, "I think it was Gos-something or other. I think." He shrugged. Akane shrugged as well.  
  
"No matter. I think it's just so sexy that you killed the little wuss," she whispered in a throaty voice. They started pawing at each other, eventually tearing each other's clothes off and having at it right there on the soccer field next to Gosunkugi's dead body.  
  
Gosunkugi gagged, then vomited. He looked back at the two writhing figures. Turning away, he shut his eye and fought back against the tears that threatened to fall. "Beasts," he hissed, "those vicious, animalistic, *beasts.*" He collapsed to his knees, sobbing. "I'll kill them all!" he screamed. He kept screaming until he throat was raw, until he couldn't scream any more. His entire world had collapsed and he was-  
  
***  
  
-screaming himself awake. He sat up with a start, gasping in agony. He wiped the tears from his eye, clearing it. He looked wildly about the room. Nothing had changed. The book still lay at his side and his captor was still writing away at whatever it was that he wrote away at.  
  
Gosunkugi closed his eye and took a deep breath. "It was only a dream. It was only a dream. It was only..." he kept repeating it like a mantra, trying to convince himself of the truth of the statement. But the images had been so real. The memories were just as crisp as if they had just happened. 'It did just happen,' he thought. 'I died. Saotome killed me, and then he and Akane-' Gosunkugi squeezed his eye shut and fought against the mental images rising up in his mind's eye. He needed to think about something else.  
  
Reaching up to the shelf next to him, he snagged a book at random and flipped it open. It was written in the same odd script as the others, but now something seemed different. He understood some of it. Not all of it, granted, but enough to get the gist of what the text was outlining. And the more he read, the more he understood. He settled back and continued to read, his mind finally clear of the problem he had been troubled with earlier.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Having finally finished the history text, Gosunkugi sat back and began to process the information he had gleaned from it. Either the history he had just read was a complete farce, or it was describing an alternate Earth, or possibly even a different planet all together. Even considering the depth and detail given, Hikaru wasn't about to believe what he had just read. Not until he had tried something. Opening the history book, he found the correct page. Raising his hand in front of his face, he concentrated on the words he was about to speak.  
  
"Luminatum ex nihilum!" he gasped. Instantly, a softly glowing orb of light about the size of a tennis ball sprang to life in the palm of his hand. Gosunkugi 'eeped' and dropped his hand down. The ball remained where he had left it, floating in midair just in front of his face.   
  
Over at the desk, the robed figure smiled to himself, never looking up or ceasing his writing for a moment.  
  
The tiny globe of light continued to glow softly, providing a light source for his continued reading. Gosunkugi grinned. The cantrip had been so simple that someone had scratched it onto one of the pages inside the history book. Setting the history book carefully aside, he stood and began to walk along the shelves, perusing the titles. The tiny ball of light followed him faithfully. Finally he found the one he was looking for. Settling back down in his corner, he moved the ball of light over his right shoulder and began to read.  
  
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The 'First Level Magical Spell Primer (with minor spells and cantrips)' had been an interesting read, but Gosunkugi was ready for something more. The spells contained within were simple ones, not much better than cantrips, but still, they were spells, and Gosunkugi had found that he had a certain skill in casting them.   
  
Something he had discovered in his experiments was that, according to _everything_ he had read, a mage was forced to re-memorize a spell after casting it, the exception to the rule being simple cantrips. However, Gosunkugi found that he could cast a spell over and over without it ever losing clarity in his mind. If what he had read about spell-casting were true, it gave him an unusual talent for magecraft. Something else he had noticed was that he could memorize spells with surprising ease. Usually, he only had to read a spell once or twice. Granted, some of the more complex spells required subsequent readings, but usually reading it once and then casting it once fixed the spell in his mind completely.  
  
Getting up, Gos made his way back to she shelf where he had found the first level spellbook. Placing it back, he began to search for something more . . . challenging. He began to move among the various shelves, the little globe of light tagging along just over his shoulder. It was a relatively long-lived cantrip, but he had still had to re-invoke it three or four times to keep it going. Scanning the spines of the books in the library, he found an interesting tome.   
  
"Hm. 'Close Quarters Combat Enhancements' by Magius. Interesting," he muttered, reaching for the book. Opening it up, he thumbed past the introduction to the first spell. "Strength of the Bear. Very interesting," he said, reading over the spell. It was simple in concept, but rather complex in execution, requiring actual spell components to be gathered before the spell could be cast. Gos shrugged. 'Might as well memorize it now. I can always get the components later.' Flipping through the book, Gosunkugi memorized every spell, each one becoming easier to remember than the last, even though they increased in complexity. Putting the book back on the shelf, Gosunkugi grabbed another one. 'Low-Level Temporal Interruptions and their effects on the flow of History, by Astinus," he read. He flipped through it and memorized the few spells inside. Setting the book back on the shelf, he snatched another one.  
  
"Oooh, I like this. 'Forced Material Disruption Spells, by Dalamar.' This should come in handy." So thinking, he sat down and began to read. And in the darkened corner, a shrouded figure smiled softly, adjusting its glasses.  
  
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Gosunkugi Hikaru had no idea how much time had passed. He knew he hadn't slept, and yet he had eaten several meals and finished nearly half a bookcase of spellbooks. He had also come to a decision about the problem that had been bothering him for so long. Saotome Ranma.   
  
Gosunkugi snarled at the memories of Saotome and Akane rolling in the grass together. He closed his eye and clenched his fist angrily, willing himself to relax. His path was clear. He would learn what he could here, escape back home, and then wreak havoc among those who had made his short life so miserable. The bullies who always stole his lunch money would suffer. The jocks who teased him, the girls who shunned him, the friends who betrayed him, all would suffer. But most of all, Saotome and his family and friends would suffer. He chuckled as he imagined himself, wreathed in lighting, standing before his cowering enemies.   
  
Setting aside yet another book, he grabbed its neighbor and began to read. The spells he had learned were impressive. He had also learned not to ignore the non-spell content of the books.   
  
Earlier, he had read a rather boring history about a group called the Knights of Solomnia. The Solomnic Knights eschewed magic in most forms, believing that magic was inherently evil and that honorable men had nothing to do with it. "Heh," thought Hikaru, 'what total losers. Saotome would fit in with them just fine.' Within the text, Hikaru had discovered that the author had hidden a method by which he could cast simple spells without vocalizing the words of execution. All he had to do was think them. Within yet another book, Hikaru had found a few simple cantrips for summoning spell components. Incredibly useful stuff, that. So, he kept reading everything he could get his hands on and he kept learning everything the library had to teach.  
  
All in all, Gosunkugi was having the time of his life.  
  
"I'll have to thank Saotome for killing me, if I ever see him again," he murmured, flipping through a book on astral projection. "Of course," he mused, "I'll have to remember to thank him _before_ I kill him." So saying, he closed the book and began searching for another. "Hm," he said, reaching for a thick black book nestled far back on one of the upper shelves, "this looks interesting. 'Reanimation of Necrotic Tissues and Control of Discorporate Entities, by Fistandantilus.' Very interesting." Sitting down, he began to read the book from the beginning.  
  
'Huh," thought Hikaru, as he continued to read, "maybe I _won't_ have to thank him before I kill him. I'll just kill him, bring him back to life, thank him, then kill him again." Gosunkugi chuckled to himself. Soon, his laughter rang throughout the narrow confines of the library.  
  
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"Concresco pulvis corpus, increbresco fortis!" Gosunkugi snarled. Sweeping his hands out from himself, he gestured at the shelves off to either side. With a loud hissing, the dust on the many shelves was swept together in a whirlwind of light, then arranged itself to form the vague outline of a man. Hikaru gestured, and the dust-creature stepped forward and assumed a combative stance. Hikaru nodded, then stepped forward himself. The dust-creature flung itself at him, hissing softly. Hikaru nimbly sidestepped the creature, making sure to keep it away from his blind side. Throwing his hands out, he spoke again.  
  
"Candidus aduro eversio!" he hissed, aiming his hands at the dust-creature. A blast of white light exploded from his outstretched fingers and slammed into the dust golem. The creature howled once, then disintegrated, the dust settling slowly back onto the floor.   
  
"Excellent," muttered Gos, wiping his hands. He glanced over at the robed man, who was still writing at the desk. Gosunkugi shook his head. He had already gone through all the books in the massive library, and now he was practicing what skills he could, but the man never spoke or even really acknowledged Gosunkugi, unless the boy spoke first. The man had to be aware of how much Gos was learning, yet he never said a word.  
  
'Well, soon I'll be out of here,' thought Gosunkugi. He glanced at the man who had been his captor and roommate for the entire duration of his stay. 'I've prepared my spells and gathered my components. Now I simply wait for the right time.'  
  
Stepping back to the center of the room, Gos prepared yet another combat spell. 'Might as well spend the time I have left here practicing what I've learned," he thought grimly.  
  
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The time had come.  
  
Hikaru Gosunkugi walked over to the small table he had summoned for himself. Spread out upon it were various books and items that he had discovered and wanted to take with him. Closing his eye, he prepared to cast his final spell in this place. Tracing a circle about himself and the table, he spoke the carefully memorized words.  
  
"Adimpeleo subtraho tempus, locus Nerima-ku, obtempero mihi quantum!" Gosunkugi shouted, feeling the temporal energies flowing through him, whipping about him and the objects before him. He screamed in agony as he was torn from one dimension and flung into the next.  
  
Sitting at his desk, the archmage turned just in time to see the young boy vanish in a brilliant vortex of iridescent energies. A cynical smile crossed his thin lips. "Goodbye, my young apprentice," whispered Raistlin Majere. "May your vengeance mean more to you than mine did to me."   
  
Turning to the shrouded figure barely visible in the darkened corner, Raistlin snarled, "I have done as you requested. Now leave me." Having said his piece, the golden-skinned man turned back to his desk. Picking up his quill, he began writing once more. The shrouded figure chuckled softly, candlelight glinting palely in his glasses. Folding its arms into its sleeves, the figure folded in on itself and vanished silently.  
  
=======================================================================  
  
- Six months after the death of Gosunkugi Hikaru -  
  
Kunou Tatewaki stood quietly in his garden. Before him, a small bonfire blazed merrily. Kunou watched silently as the huge, poster-sized photos of Tendou Akane and Osage no Onna were consumed in the devouring flames. Stepping back, the boy sat down before the fire and began to reflect on his past wrongs. It was something he had done much of over the past several months. His thoughts fled back to the day he had heard of Gosunkugi Hikaru's death.  
  
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- Flashback: Six months earlier -   
  
"Kunou-senpai, have you heard?" The boy walking alongside of Kunou Tatewaki seemed eager to share whatever information he had. Rather than pay Tendou Nabiki for the dubious privilege of her take on whatever piece of gossip was currently circulating, Kunou decided to allow the young man to say his piece.  
  
"Heard what, my good man?"  
  
"Saotome Ranma killed Gosunkugi Hikaru in a fight yesterday!" The young man watched the upperclassman eagerly, waiting for a response. He wasn't long in waiting. It wasn't the response he expected.  
  
"What?" Kunou stopped walking and grabbed the other boy by the shoulders. "What is this you say? Gosunkugi is dead? At Saotome's hands?" He shook the younger man. The boy pulled away from Kunou and nodded slowly.   
  
"Hai. I heard it was because Gosunkugi was caught with pictures of Tendou Akane."   
  
"No . . . " whispered Kunou. He stepped back from the boy, then turned and fled. Stumbling outside the doors of Furinkan High, Kunou Tatewaki continued running. He ran and ran until he could run no more.  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
The next day, Kunou arrived at school early, as was his habit. He was waiting for the arrival of Saotome Ranma, again, as was his habit. He was not, however, going to challenge Saotome. He simply wanted to talk.  
  
"Ohayo, senpai!" a girl called, waving at him cheerily. Kunou nodded to her, but did not respond in kind. He watched the other students arrive in twos and threes. They chatted happily amongst themselves, oblivious to the banality of their own words. None of them seemed terribly disturbed by the fact that one of their own had died just the day before yesterday. The very fact that life went on as usual shook the young kendoist to his very core.  
  
"Yo, Kunou-senpai." The tone was utterly flat and without emotion. "You wanted to see me." Saotome Ranma walked over to Kunou. The younger boy looked haggard, as if he hadn't slept in days, which was probably the case. He held a note in his hand, undoubtedly the one which Kunou had asked Tendou Nabiki to deliver to Saotome on his behalf.  
  
"Saotome, is it true that Gosunkugi Hikaru died at your hands two days ago?" Kunou decided that bluntness was in order. Ranma winced.  
  
"It was an accident. Someone drugged me, Kunou." Saotome lowered his head. "I didn't mean to kill him."   
  
"I see." Kunou gazed levelly at the younger man. "Who drugged you so that you commit such a heinous deed?"  
  
"Dunno. The police are still investigating." The words were delivered without inflection, his head still down.  
  
"I can see that you are still in shock, Saotome. I have no doubt that what occurred was indeed an accident. Nonetheless, someone must be held accountable. Please, I implore thee, inform me when the police know who it was who caused the death of young Hikaru." He looked down at the younger man. "If you need anything, Saotome, you have but to ask."   
  
Ranma looked up and blinked. "Ano...arigato, senpai."  
  
Kunou nodded. Ranma seemed to shake himself out of whatever daze he had been in. Nodding to Kunou, he turned and hurried after Akane into the school building.   
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Three days later, Kunou Tatewaki found himself at the funeral service for Gosunkugi Hikaru. Much of the student body turned out for it. Saotome Ranma was there, near the front. He had asked for permission to speak at the funeral. Because the police had acquitted Ranma of any wrongdoing, and because of his repentant attitude in seeking their forgiveness, the Gosunkugi family had welcomed his speaking. They saw him as a friend of their son, not as the man who had killed him. They knew that Hikaru had few friends, but even they were surprised that only one other student had asked to speak at the funeral.  
  
Kunou sat going over his speaking notes, carefully pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. He had never worn them in public before, his vanity unable to suffer even that small blow. His grades had suffered considerably for it. Now, with his renewed desire fore learning, he was wearing them almost constantly.   
  
He sighed softly to himself as he read. He had not, while the boy had been alive, considered Gosunkugi a friend, but now that the boy was gone he realized just how much he had depended on Hikaru's sympathetic ear. He knew he needed to say a few words about what the boy had meant to him.   
  
Glancing around, Kunou noted with distaste all of the female students who were weeping inconsolably, as if they were heartbroken over the loss of the thin, sickly boy they had never paid a moment's notice to. Many of these were the same students who Kunou had seen going about school business-as-usual two days after Gosunkugi's death.  
  
Kunou sighed. In death, Gosunkugi had temporarily gained the popularity he had so craved in life. A pity he couldn't be here to enjoy it. He watched in silence as Saotome made his way to the front of the hall. Standing before the lectern, Saotome Ranma prepared to speak.  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
The funeral had been a dreadful experience for Kunou. Even now, a week afterward, he still had nightmares about Gosunkugi's mother, sobbing uncontrollably, clutching the urn containing the earthly remains of her only child.  
  
He couldn't sleep. So here he sat, gazing listlessly into the fire burning cheerily in the fireplace. It was autumn, and the few trees on the property that would turn were turning colors. Sighing, Kunou stood and turned to the other person in the room.  
  
"Sister dear, please, stop that," Tatewaki whispered. He grabbed Kodachi's arm and held her in place. Kodachi looked up at her brother, tears filling her eyes. A moment before, she had been dancing maniacally about the room, laughing her shrill, mad laugh.  
  
"It's true, you know, they are the same, brother," she whispered. Tatewaki nodded. It had been Gosunkugi Hikaru's final legacy. A small packet of information had arrived in the mail a few days after the funeral. It had been sent by Gosunkugi's parents.  
  
The packet had been found among Hikaru's belongings, in a folder with Kunou's name on it. Inside was proof; hard, photographic proof that Kunou's beloved Osage no Onna was one and the same person with foul sorcerer Saotome Ranma. Conversely, Kodachi's adored Ranma-sama was the same person as the despised red-haired harridan. Neither Kunou sibling had taken the news well, but neither bothered to try to refute the information. In point of fact, all Kunou did was get confirmation that the information was indeed true.  
  
Tendou Nabiki had indeed confirmed the veracity of the information. Kunou had been crushed, but had managed to work through it to a reasonable degree. Kodachi, on the other hand, was working out her frustrations by annoying her brother and mistreating poor Sasuke.  
  
"I understand, Dachi. Come, sit with me." He led his younger sister over to the couch. Pouring a small amount of wine into a glass, he held it out to her. She took it and sipped it, allowing its calming properties to influence her mind. She sat down across from her brother.  
  
"I loved him so, and I hated her so," she sobbed. "How could he..she...how could they betray me like that?"   
  
"They tried to tell us, sister. We . . . we were not in a place where we could listen," he said. The mind-altering plant extracts Kodachi loved to play with had, too often, appeared in the foods which both of them ate. He continued, "But now, we can listen, and see the truth for what is."  
  
Kodachi sniffled. "So you're saying that it's all out fault, hm?"  
  
Tatewaki shrugged. "Perhaps. I certainly don't believe that Saotome Ranma is the source of all our problems."  
  
Kodachi nodded, then sighed. "He was so handsome, though."   
  
Tatewaki smiled grimly. "And was she not beautiful?"  
  
Kodachi closed her eyes. "Indeed."  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-   
  
Over the next few days, the reports about the origin of the poisons found in Saotome Ranma's blood were leaked from the police headquarters. Kunou found himself part of a mob of people standing outside the Nekohanten, demanding answers.  
  
"Curse you, old ghoul, what did you do to me?" Saotome Ranma snarled, pounding on the door to the restaurant with both fists.  
  
"How could you stoop to something so honorless?" shouted Hibiki Ryouga, who, for once, was siding with Saotome.  
  
"Explain your motivations, Elder!" Kunou heard himself say.  
  
"You old troll, come out where we can see you!" growled Saotome Genma. His spine had hardened considerably when he saw his son at risk.  
  
"You would force the boy to commit your murders? Shame upon you and your house, old woman!" shouted Tendou Soun, standing with his oldest friend at the edge of the crowd.  
  
The crowd itself continued to stand outside the ramen shop, shouting loudly and demanding answers. None were forthcoming, and eventually the masses thinned, then finally dispersed, leaving only Saotome Ranma, Hibiki Ryouga and Kunou Tatewaki sitting disconsolately on the pavement before the restaurant.  
  
"Ano...I appreciate you guys being here," said Ranma, turning to Ryouga and Kunou. Ryouga nodded.  
  
"We may have our differences, Ranma, but no one deserves what she did to you and Gosunkugi." He sighed, sagging back.  
  
"Indeed, Saotome. I have come to realize the error of my ways." Kunou stood, then knelt before a shocked Ranma. "Gomen nasai, Saotome-san."   
  
"Eh, Kunou-senpai, no, you don't have to do thi-"  
  
"Yes, Saotome, I do. I have dishonored myself, my house and you and your house by my actions. By pursuing you with the intent to harm you and pursuing your female form with the intent to date you, I have done grievous injury to you. Please, find it in your heart to forgive this humble man, who is not worthy to call himself warrior."  
  
"Kunou, c'mon man. Yeah, I forgive you." He pulled Kunou to his feet. "No problem." Ranma paused. "How long have you known about me and my girl side?"   
  
Kunou chuckled nervously, adjusting his glasses carefully. "I believe I have known for quite some time, but I was never able to accept what I had done in my madness until a message came to me a few days ago."  
  
Ranma scratched his head. "A message? From who?"  
  
"From Gosunkugi Hikaru."  
  
Ranma's and Ryouga's mouths fell open.   
  
"What?" Ranma gasped.   
  
"Impossible!" whispered Ryouga.  
  
"Impossible indeed, Hibiki. And yet he did. His parents found the packet containing the information in his belongings. It had my name on it." Kunou relaxed slightly.  
  
"A message from the grave," muttered Ryouga.  
  
"Truth," replied Kunou.  
  
Ranma just stood there, eyes watching the front door to the Nekohanten. "I swear I'll find the truth, old ghoul," he finally whispered. No sounds were heard for several moments.  
  
Kunou cleared his throat, interrupting the uncomfortable silence that had reigned after Ranma's declaration.   
  
"I feel I must be going. My sister will be waiting," he said softly. Turning, he walked away without another word. Ranma and Ryouga watched him leave. Once he was out of sight, the lost boy pushed himself to his feet and picked up his pack.   
  
"I'd better be going too, Ranma," he said. Ranma blinked, then turned to Ryouga. Reaching out, he took the lost boy's arm.  
  
"C'mon home with me, man. I'm sure Kasumi cooked enough for everyone, and I know you'll be welcome to stay with us."  
  
Ryouga started to pull away. "I'd better not, Ranma. I mean, Akane-san will be there, and . . . " He stopped when he saw the pleading look in Ranma's eyes. "Well, maybe just for tonight." He watched as relief filled the other boy's gaze. He continued, "Maybe we can spar tomorrow, eh?"  
  
"Sure," Ranma grinned, "I'd like that." The two boys left, with Ranma leading the lost boy away toward the Tendou Dojo.  
  
And up on the roof of the Nekohanten, the moon reflected off of a pair of glasses.  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-   
  
Kunou had been instrumental in obtaining the deportation orders for the Chinese Amazons, wielding his family's immense resources on behalf of the Gosunkugi family. Anything that was needed, he provided. With his father out of country, he alone made the decisions. With the departure of the Amazons and the closing of the Nekohanten, some small closure had been provided for the Gosunkugi family. Kunou had established solid ties with the grieving parents, giving what comfort he could, and he considered them to be a part of his own family now.   
  
As for his old enemy, Saotome Ranma, Kunou considered him to be a close friend now. Ranma and Akane came over often to visit him and his sister. They were good friends, and stood by them on the bad days when their old personalities threatened to reassert themselves. Those days were lessening now, and Kunou Tatewaki found himself hoping for a normal life. And, if he was lucky, maybe even love.  
  
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- Present, six months after the death of Hikaru Gosunkugi -  
  
Kunou gazed into the dying embers of the fire before him. The sun had long since set and night was settling over Nerima Ward. Closing his eyes, he waited for the approaching figure to speak.  
  
"Brother dear, don't you think it's time to come inside?" Kodachi stood behind her brother. Kunou neither turned nor acknowledged his sister. "Please, Tatchi, it's cold out here." She hugged herself against the gathering chill. Kunou shook his head, still not opening his eyes.  
  
"My thoughts warm me, sister," he replied flatly.  
  
"I doubt that seriously, Tatchi," she murmured, still hugging herself. She was dressed warmly, not in her usual leotard. The events of the past few months had wrought many changes in the Kunou siblings, not the least of which was a certain familiarity with reality which had been severely lacking prior to the death of Gosunkugi Hikaru.  
  
"I do not lie, sister. I think of my love."  
  
Kodachi sighed and walked back into the main house, leaving Kunou alone with his thoughts. Currently, he found himself thinking of a certain female. His thoughts about her were warm. And, he dared hope, she might just feel the same way about him.  
  
"Kunou-chan, it *is* cold out here."  
  
Even now he was convinced he could hear her sweet voice. Tatewaki sighed. If this were madness true, then madness would he embrace wholeheartedly.  
  
"Kunou-chan, can you even hear me?"  
  
Kunou felt a solid rap on the back of his head. His eyes snapped open. Turning around, he saw Tendou Nabiki standing behind him, looking at him crossly. He smiled weakly.  
  
"Gomen, Nabiki-chan. I was lost in thought."  
  
"Not another woman, I hope," she said with a quirked smile. Kunou stood and brushed himself off.  
  
"Never," he averred. Standing next to her, he waited for her to take his arm before proceeding into the house.  
  
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- Day 01, Hour 00 -  
  
Gosunkugi Hikaru landed on the ground with a thud. Growling, he pushed himself to his feet. Stretching, he looked over to see his own tombstone. 'How ironic,' he thought. Chuckling malevolently, Hikaru gathered his things and walked out of the cemetery. A pair of eyes watched his departure silently from behind a pair of glasses.  
  
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- Day 03, Hour 14 -  
  
The young magus stood on the roof of the Nekohanten. The building was empty now, and no-one had bought it until now. It was seen as being unclean, and had a bad reputation. Gos smiled grimly. He had gotten it for a song. Gazing out over Nerima, he considered his next move. The Nekohanten was an excellent base for his operations. It was central to almost everything in the district. Stepping down the ladder into the loft, he checked over the supplies he had brought with him. Almost everything had survived the trip without incident, and those few things that had been damaged were easily repaired or replaced. The most precious things, the spellbooks, were magically sealed in a waterproof, fireproof, damageproof safe.  
  
"Excellent," he muttered, turning to the wall next to him. Twisting his hand in the air, he touched the wall. "Lacuna per locus tempus temporis ac quadrivium," he whispered. The wall before him twisted and warped, the parted, revealing an entrance that had not been there before. Now, logically, there was no room for such a large space inside the Nekohanten, especially considering the fact that the doorway was placed against an outside wall. But the laws of physics did not reign here. Gathering his things, Hikaru stepped into his new chambers.   
  
He called it 'The Tower of High Sorcery at Nerima.' An auspicious name he had culled from one of the many histories he had read while still captive in the library. Carefully, he set about setting up shop in the dimensionally-hidden upper room of the Nekohanten. He hoped to live in his new home for quite a while.  
  
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- Day 04, Hour 04 -  
  
It had taken him forever, but Hikaru felt he had a relatively cozy place to practice his magic. Sitting down at his desk, Hikaru sighed. Now he had to decide how to go about his vengeance.   
  
"Effingo mihi Nihonjin no Seito!" he muttered, waving his hand over himself. Turning to look in a mirror, he smiled. He had taken the form of an ordinary schoolboy. 'Wouldn't do to have people recognize me too early, now would it,' he thought. Stepping out of his chambers, he closed the dimensional gateway between the tower and the rest of the building with a wave of his hand. Grinning, he headed downstairs.   
  
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- Day 04, Hour 08 -  
  
Ichijo Toji stood watching as his three companions circled the new kid. They had found him crossing their territory on his way toward Furinkan. From the looks of him, he was even wimpier than that Gosunkugi kid who had died last spring. Usually, he and his friends would wear masks when holding up kids. That was, until they had spent an afternoon being chased as delinquents by the bizarre Hinako Ninomiya-sensei. Following that encounter, they decided discretion was the better part of valour. The masks had ended up in a dumpster.  
  
"Hey Toji, give us a hand, would'ja?" shouted Hakun. Toji nodded, stepping toward his friends. The new kid cowered, begging for mercy. Toji grinned and kicked the kid in the face. The kid whimpered again. Hiro and Sunu got their kicks in as well, giggling like hyenas. Hakun smiled evilly and drew a knife. Hiro saw the blade and drew back.  
  
"Hey man, what gives? You gonna cut him?" Hiro asked. He drew further back. "Don't want no part of that, you hear?" Hakun started to answer, but the new kid was suddenly on his feet.  
  
"Too bad, punk. You're already a part of this." The new kid was smiling vindictively. His form was glowing as if lit from beneath, and his hair and clothes were whipping about, as if unseen winds were rising from the ground under him. The boy laughed evilly. Toji tried to take a step back, but found himself rooted to the spot. He watched in horror as the new kid's face melted away, revealing another face beneath it.   
  
The face of Gosunkugi Hikaru. The young boy's face was the same as Toji remembered. Gosunkugi stood with his head down and his eyes closed, chuckling softly. Slowly, Hikaru raised his head and opened his eyes. Toji heard Hiro gasp. Where Gosunkugi's left eye should have been, an empty eye socket gaped blackly.   
  
"Now then," murmured Gosunkugi, "where were we. Oh yes," he said, as if suddenly remembering something. He turned to Hakun. "You were going to cut me." Hakun snarled and leapt at Hikaru. Gos smiled thinly and raised his hand. "Ultio ultionis deus ex caelitus!" Hakun froze, then gasped.  
  
"What the he-" His voice was suddenly cut off as a beam of pure white light exploded from the cloudless sky and bisected Hakun at his waist. Hakun's eyes opened wide for second before his body fell into two halves, splattering blood over his three surviving friends. Toji felt a familiar warmth in his pants as his bladder emptied itself.  
  
"Now then," mused Gos, looking the three boys over, "who's next?" Sunu whimpered softly. Gosunkugi looked Sunu over slowly. "I guess you volunteer, eh?" He smiled menacingly. "This is for all those times you took my lunch money, Sunu, all those times you beat the crap out of me for no reason other than to do it." Extending his right hand, the dark mage spoke the words of invocation. "Carneus tabesco." Toji turned his head to look at Sunu, who was sobbing softly and begging for his life.   
  
"No no no, please, no, Gos, no, I'm sorry I'm sorry ImsorryImsorryImsorr-" his pleading ended in a high pitched scream. Toji watched in horror as Sunu's flesh began to slowly dissolve. Sunu continued screaming as his skin disappeared and his muscles began to be eaten away. Slowly, his screams took on a garbled note as his tongue was disintegrated from his mouth. Then, the screams were suddenly replaced by a low gurgling as his throat was dissolved. Sunu's body collapsed, but was still writhing as his internal organs were destroyed. Eventually, nothing but a wracked skeleton remained, and eventually that too disappeared, leaving an expanding puddle of liquid that disappeared as it seeped into the ground.  
  
Gosunkugi examined his handiwork with obvious satisfaction. Turning to Toji, he smiled. Toji shook his head, sobbing with fear. He had always figured his bullying would come back to haunt him, and now it had, in the form of a vengeful revenant seeking the destruction of his former tormenters.  
  
"C'mon, can't we work something out?" Toji heard Hiro ask. Gos turned to Hiro and narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Watch and learn, Hiro." The young magus extended his hand toward Toji. "Ossis exigo!" he snapped. Toji's world exploded into bright white pain.  
  
Hiro gasped as Toji's body seemed to twist and turn in ways that no body should be able to. At least not one where the bones were still intact. Suddenly, there was a wet ripping sound. Hiro's eyes widened as Toji's bones began to tear through his skin, eventually working their way out and landing with soft thuds on the ground. Toji was still screaming, but Hiro couldn't figure out how anyone could live through even the first moments. Slowly, every bone in Toji's body worked its way to the surface and left his body. Now, only a pulpy red mess was left where Toji's soft tissues had been. Hiro gagged and tried to vomit, but nothing came up. He looked up to see Gosunkugi gazing impassively at him.  
  
"P-p-please, Gos, please, no, not me," Hiro plead.  
  
"No," responded Gosunkugi, "no, not you." He smiled grimly at Hiro's cowering form. "In order for a lesson to be effective, someone must survive the lesson in order to learn it." Gosunkugi's smile grew tighter. "I wonder if you will thank me later. I think, rather, that you will curse my name for however long you live." He smiled at the other boy. "C'mon Hiro, show a little spine." He reached down and picked up a length of vertebrae from the pile of bones at his feet. Thrusting it toward the terrified schoolboy, Gos sneered the words, "Toji did." Hiro sobbed as the dark mage lifted his hand. "Ossis conscindo!"   
  
Hiro screamed as every bone in his body was shattered.  
  
Nearby, a shrouded figure watched with satisfaction from behind glasses.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
- Day 04, Hour 12 -  
  
"Hiro. Hiro, can you hear me?" Hasagawa Hiro could hear the voice, but it was far away. "Hiro, if you can hear me, open your eyes." Hiro struggled to obey the voice, but it was just too difficult.  
  
"Doctor," he heard a familiar voice ask, "how is he? Will he live?" Mother! Hiro struggled all the more. What was his mother doing here? She was always out of town, always leaving Hiro to his own devices as far as taking care of himself went.  
  
"He'll live ma'am, but we don't know how extensive the damage is as yet. He may never walk or speak again. We just don't know."   
  
"What could have done this to my poor baby?" she whispered. Hasagawa Tomiko gently stroked her son's bandaged brow.   
  
"We don't know, ma'am. He was found like this in an abandoned lot. Some kids on the way to school found him and his friends there."  
  
"How...how are his friends?" she murmured, not looking at the doctor.  
  
"One is still missing, but neither of the other two survived. Your son is very, very lucky, if what happened to the others is any indication of what your son encountered." The doctor watched the mother for a few more moments, then turned and left.  
  
"My poor, poor baby," murmured Tomiko, still stroking her son's forehead.  
  
Inside his mind, Hiro struggled to remember what exactly had brought him to this place, and why his mind was so insistent that he didn't want to know.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
- Day 04, Hour 15 -  
  
"So, Ranma-kun, did you hear about Toji and those other bullies?" Nabiki hurried to catch up with Ranma and Akane as they left the school. Tatewaki had kendo club today, and although she normally loved to see him dominate the other members of the club, she wanted to talk to Ranma more. Ranma glanced over at her and shook his head.  
  
"Naw. I hope those jerks finally got arrested, though," he muttered. Nabiki shook her head.  
  
"Nuh-uh. Toji and Hakun were killed, Hiro's in the hospital, and Sunu's still missing." She tried not to smile, but she enjoyed surprising Ranma with news. Akane's head snapped around to look at her older sister.   
  
"Oneechan, are you serious? What happened to them?"  
  
Nabiki shrugged. "No one knows. The police are looking for Sunu since they think he might have had something to do with it, but from what I heard, there's no way he could have done what was done."  
  
Ranma looked at Nabiki out of the corner of his eye. "Ok," he said, "I'll bite. What was done to them?"   
  
Nabiki smiled thinly. "Thought you'd never ask, Ranma-kun. Seems that Hakun was cut completely in half." Here, Akane gasped in horror. Nabiki waited for a moment before continuing, "Toji had all of his bones yanked out through his skin, and Hiro is in the hospital, with every bone in his body broken into tiny pieces."   
  
Ranma looked askance at Nabiki. "You don't think..." he paused, as if in thought, then continued. "You don't think the old ghoul is back in town, do you? She's the only one I know who could do something like that." He growled. Nabiki looked over at her younger sister, who still appeared to be in shock, then swiveled her eyes back to Ranma.  
  
"It could be, Ranma-kun. I'd keep my eyes open if I were you." With that last comment, Nabiki turned around and headed back toward the high school. Akane stared after her older sister, then turned to her fiancee.  
  
"Ranma? What are we going to do?" she asked softly. Ranma shook his head.  
  
"I dunno, Akane. I think we better talk to our Dads, though."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
- Day 04, Hour 17 -  
  
Gosunkugi Hikaru stood on the roof of the Nekohanten. His soft black robes whipped about him as if in a powerful wind, yet the trees behind him were perfectly still. The dark mage smiled as he watched two boys walking down the sidewalk. With a silent gesture, Hikaru teleported to a position just behind them.  
  
"Hey guys," he said sardonically. Hiroshi and Daisuke turned in surprise, then gasped.  
  
"Gos! What the . . . man, I went to your funeral!" Daisuke's voice quavered slightly. Gosunkugi quirked a smile.  
  
"Really? Did you enjoy it?" Hikaru's cold smile grew by a degree. Hiroshi just stared. Daisuke eventually managed to speak again.  
  
"Ano...it was real nice. Your dad spoke, and so did Ranma-kun and Kunou-senpai." Daisuke gulped as Gosunkugi's one eye narrowed at the mention of Ranma's name.  
  
"So, that whelp Saotome was at my funeral. Not only that, but he spoke for me?" he hissed. Hiroshi nodded rapidly.  
  
"It was good. He was so sad about what happened to you and all," Hiroshi managed to get out. Daisuke nodded in agreement, then managed to speak again.  
  
"Ano...didn't they bury you, Gos?"   
  
"Yes. But I got bored, so I came back." Gosunkugi smirked at the obvious discomfiture of the two boys in front of him.   
  
Hiroshi and Daisuke had not been terribly cruel to him in life, but neither had they responded to his overtures of friendship when he had been alive. They much preferred to spend their time chasing Yuka and Sayuri or hanging out with Saotome. They didn't intend to hurt him, therefore he didn't intend to hurt them. Not much, anyway. He simply needed heralds to announce his return as a being of power.   
  
After having basically ambushed those bullies at the school, Gosunkugi had discovered that there really wasn't much fun in destroying an opponent who didn't see you coming. He much preferred to have them at least put up a token resistance. Certainly defeating Saotome in combat, then killing him afterward, would make the entire endeavour that much more satisfying.  
  
"Hiroshi, Daisuke, I need you to deliver a message for me."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
- Day 05, Hour 08 -  
  
"Ranma, I need to talk to you!" Daisuke ran up to his friend, brushing past a rather shocked-looking Yuka. Yuka wasn't used to being disregarded by her usually attentive sometime boyfriend.  
  
"Yo, Daisuke, what's up." Ranma smiled weakly at his friend. Daisuke held up his hand for a second, then caught his breath.  
  
"Ranma, you'll never believe who Hiroshi and I saw yesterday outside the Nekohanten!" Daisuke's voice carried just a little fear, and more than a little awe. Ranma paled.  
  
"Ano...who, Daisuke, who?? Was it the old ghoul??" Ranma's voice betrayed his fear that the old woman who had made his life so miserable was back for more of the same. Daisuke shook his head.  
  
"No. We were walking past the old Nekohanten, when we heard a voice behind us. We turned around, and there he was!" Daisuke waited for a moment as Hiroshi joined them. Ranma growled impatiently.  
  
"Who was it?" he snapped. Hiroshi looked a little surprised, but Daisuke continued on as if Ranma hadn't spoken.  
  
"Gosunkugi Hikaru, Ranma. It was Gos." He stopped, watching as the blood seemed to drain from Ranma's face.   
  
"No," he whispered. "No, he died, Daisuke. It couldn't have been him."  
  
"It was him," insisted Hiroshi, "I know it was. He looked exactly the same, except he was wearing black robes and one of his eyes, his left eyes, was *gone.* Just gone." Daisuke winced as Ranma took each new revelation like a hammer blow to the ribs. By this time, Yuka, Sayuri, Ukyou and Akane had joined the three boys. Nabiki and Kunou were also walking over to join them.  
  
"That's impossible, Hiroshi. Completely impossible. Gos is dead, man." Ranma was panting softly as he spoke.  
  
"What's this about Gosunkugi?" asked Ukyou, looking from boy to boy. Kunou arrived about then and spoke.  
  
"Yes, what about Gosunkugi Hikaru?" he asked, slipping his arm protectively around Nabiki.   
  
"He's alive. Daisuke and I saw him yesterday out front of the old Nekohanten." Hiroshi nodded, as if to confirm his own words.  
  
Akane stared at the two boys, then grabbed Ranma's arm. "If that's true, then . . . " She looked at her fiancee. Ranma nodded.  
  
"I have to talk to him. I have to know if it's really him."  
  
Akane squeezed Ranma's arm. "It might be a trap. Cologne might . . . " She stopped as Ranma whirled on her.  
  
"You think I don't know that, Akane? You think I don't know that this could all be an elaborate plan to get me where the old ghoul wants me?" He groaned, sagging to the pavement with a half sob. Daisuke looked down at his friend in sympathy.  
  
"Just be careful, Ranma-kun," he whispered. He and Hiroshi looked up from their friend to see Kunou hurrying away from them. Nabiki took a glance at Ranma, then turned and ran after Kunou.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
- Day 05, Hour 09 -  
  
"Kunou-chan."  
  
"..."  
  
"Kunou-chan, talk to me." Nabiki took her friend's arm in her hand. Kunou pulled away and sat down at his desk.  
  
"He lives, Nabiki. He lives," he murmured, his voice almost breaking. Nabiki didn't miss the fact that the usual 'chan' endearment was missing from his reference to her. She looked down at him. His eyes were unreadable behind the reflection in his glasses.  
  
"Kunou-chan, it's not your fault."  
  
Kunou looked up at her, his eyes narrowed. "Did I ever suggest that it was my fault?" He looked back down at his hands. "I will go with Saotome tonight and see him."  
  
Nabiki's eyes closed. She took a deep breath, then released it. Opening her eyes, she whispered, "If you go, I go."  
  
Kunou looked at his friend for a moment. He considered forbidding her, not that it would do any good, but he dismissed the thought. He nodded once. "Very well, Nabik...Na-chan." He smiled weakly at her. She smiled down at him through shimmering eyes. Without a word, she kissed him gently on the forehead, then sat down at her seat to await the beginning of class.   
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
- Day 05, Hour 16 -  
  
The four of them gathered about a block away from old Nekohanten. It was a little after four in the afternoon when they all arrived. Ranma looked pale, but determined. Kunou's face held a similar look. Akane looked slightly worried, and stayed close to her sister. Nabiki, for her part, maintained the role of Ice Queen very well. The only betrayal of emotion she gave was the way her eyes constantly darted from one location to another.  
  
"Well, Saotome, here we are," murmured Kunou, his fingers straying to the hilt of his sword. Ranma noticed that Kunou was carrying live steel rather than his usual bokken. He wondered if the kendoist had the same premonition of disaster he himself had had. Ranma started to speak when a shrill laugh filled the air around them.  
  
"Hohohohohohoho! Brother dear, how could you think to greet your old friend without me present?" Kodachi dropped to the ground next the Kunou. She was wearing her old leotard. A gymnastics ribbon was clutched in one hand, and a dark rose in the other. The Black Rose was back. Kunou opened his mouth to chide his younger sister for following him to this place when Sasuke ran up, panting.  
  
"Master Kunou, Master Kunou, I'm here," the small ninja paused to catch his breath, "I'm here to help you!" He spoke with only a tiny quiver betraying his fear. Of the three, Sasuke had the most contact with Gosunkugi in the past. He had been stricken by the young boy's death. He glanced up as yet another arrival made their presence known.  
  
"Ran-chan!" Ukyou ran up to the growing group. She smiled at Akane, then turned to Ranma, frustration evident on her pretty face. "Why did I have to hear about this second-hand? You know I would want to help you!" She failed to notice Ranma's own frustration level rising. She was about to continue her berating of her friend when he snapped.  
  
"Who ever said I wanted help?" he shouted, drawing stares from people on the street. "I need to do this! Why are you all here?"  
  
Ukyou paled for a moment, then became angry herself. "You jackass, I thought you were in trouble. I just had this..." she paused for a moment, looking thoughtful, "..this *feeling*, like something was going to go wrong." She punched Ranma's arm angrily. "I just wanted to help!" Ranma stared at his best friend. Kunou cleared his throat softly. The pig-tailed boy turned to him.   
  
"I felt something similar, Saotome," whispered Tatewaki.  
  
"Me too," murmured Nabiki. Sasuke nodded his agreement.  
  
"And I as well. Something is not right here," said the diminutive ninja. Kodachi smiled.  
  
"I agree. Something is quite the matter when the deceased insist upon not remaining as such." Her shrill laugh grated on Ranma's ears. He winced. Something caught his eye and he glanced up. A dark figure was perched on the telephone pole. 'Konatusu,' thought Ranma, 'no need to ask why he's here.' He glanced around. Every eye was on him. He sighed.  
  
"Ok, I guess we all go then," he muttered in a defeated tone. "He looked up at the group arrayed before him. He smiled wistfully. "Uhm, thanks guys, you know?" Kunou reached out a hand and placed it on Ranma's shoulder.  
  
"Come Saotome. We have an old friend to see."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
- Day 05, Hour 16 -  
  
Gosunkugi Hikaru sat alone in the darkness of the empty restaurant, floating three feet off the floor. He smiled to himself. Soon, they would arrive, and then he would have his revenge. Well, part of it anyway. No sense in allowing the torment to end too soon. Unfolding himself from the lotus position he had been maintaining, he touched down gently. He sensed that he guests were to arrive soon. Silently, he prepared himself for company.  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-   
  
Saotome Ranma stepped forward, tentatively touching the back of his hand to the door. He heard his soft rapping echoing inside the empty restaurant.  
  
"Come in," came the rasping reply. Ranma winced and opened the door. Stepping inside, he scanned the room. There wasn't much to see. The tables and chairs had long since been sold at auction, as had the fixtures and other equipment. In the center of the room, a lone figure stood, swathed in black robes and blacker shadows. "Welcome, Saotome."  
  
"Who are you?" Ranma whispered. He felt rather than heard the others enter the room behind him. The door swung shut. From the gasp that came from Nabiki, he gathered that none of them had closed it. A dark chuckle escaped the figures shrouded form. Reaching up, the figure threw back his hood.  
  
"Don't you recognize me, Saotome?" Gosunkugi Hikaru snarled. His right eye glared balefully at Ranma, while a long shank of hair obscured the other from view. Gosunkugi smiled grimly. "I know it's been a while, but you just can't keep a good corpse down, you know?" Ranma gasped at Hikaru.   
  
"Gos, is that really you?" Ranma whispered. Kunou stepped up behind the younger man.  
  
"Hikaru, it is good to see you so well." He started to step toward the robed man, but stopped when he saw the seething hatred in the other's eye.  
  
"So good to see you, Senpai. I guess you're here to defend your beloved pigtailed-girl?" Gosunkugi smirked at Kunou's bland expression. Kunou blinked, then forced a smile.  
  
"I can understand that you're angry, Hikaru, and I-"  
  
Gosunkugi whirled and cut him off with an angry wave of his hand. "You understand? YOU understand? Curse you and your insipid self-righteousness, Kunou Tatewaki! You of all people know what a pervert Saotome is! I mean, you hated him more than I ever did!" Gosunkugi snarled his frustration. He closed his eye tightly as a soft hand touched his shoulder from behind.  
  
"Hikaru, please. Don't be angry." Akane didn't know why the boy was so upset, but she was happy to find that he was still alive. Gos shivered slightly at the feel of her hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Why not, Akane? Why shouldn't I be upset." His eye snapped open. A reddish gleam appeared in it, boring into her very soul. He smiled patiently, like a parent explaining something to a child, but his eyes brimmed with tears. "He killed me, Akane-chan. Killed me dead. And then he...and you...." Tears began running down his cheeks. "The audacity...the perversion..." He closed his eye again. Suddenly, his head snapped up. The long strands of hair covering the left side of his face fell back, revealing the empty eye socket gaping there. "Enough!"  
  
"Hikaru," Akane whispered. He pushed her away from him, then turned on Ranma.   
  
"Enough of this!" Suddenly, he was a few inches from Ranma. Ranma gasped. He hadn't even seen Gosunkugi move. "This ends now, Saotome. I will have my satisfaction!" Gos stepped back, and the battle was joined.  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-   
  
  
"Ars invictus ex occultus nyarlathotep ex navitas locus!" hissed the dark magus. A spiral of dark energy circled around him, bolts striking randomly about his vicinity. Ranma stepped back, taking stock of his opponent. Kodachi laughed loudly, then charged Hikaru, not heeding the tendrils of energy slashing out at her. Just as she got within ribbon range, one of the longer tendrils lashed out and caught her in the chest. She screamed as she vanished into thin air, with only the stench of ozone to mark her passing.  
  
"Mistress Kodachi!" howled Sasuke. He was greeted by a whimper from behind him. He turned to see Kodachi lying on the floor in a corner. She looked none the worse for the wear physically, but she refused to meet his eyes. He rushed over to her. She was babbling softly to herself. Tipping her chin back, he gasped at what he saw. Her eyes were completely black, with a softly spiraling mass of grey in the center of them. He felt a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Come Sasuke," murmured Kunou. "She is beyond our help for now. We must defeat the shadow sorcerer in order to free her mind from whatever hell she has seen." He turned to leave when Kodachi cried out.  
  
"The black goat of the woods with a thousand young! Ai! Shub-niggurath!" she sobbed, then began to babble again, this time in a language Kunou didn't recognize. Gritting his teeth, he drew his blade and advanced on Hikaru.  
  
Ranma maintained a careful distance until he sensed that the vortex spell was dissipating. He judged the distance between himself and Gosunkugi, then charged the sorcerer. Glancing over, he saw Tatewaki coming from the same side.  
  
"Volo foris," muttered Gos. He felt a roiling twist, and then he was outside. He smiled. More to work with here. He turned to see the door to the Nekohanten burst open. Ranma was at the fore, a worried expression on his face.  
  
"Gos, c'mon, please. We don't need to fight," he begged. Gos smiled nastily.  
  
"Fine then, don't fight. It'll be more fun that way," he lied. he wanted Ranma pissed, the way Kunou was. And the best way to accomplish that . . .   
  
"Incendia ex divum sterno," he sneered, gesturing at the group. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning exploded from the clear blue sky and slammed into Kuonji Ukyou. The okonomiyaki chef screamed in agony as the massive amount of power arced through her body, seeking the ground. The huge spatula she was holding in her hands did not help matters, simply providing a guide for the currents to pass through. She writhed in pain as the power expended itself into her twisting form, the immense amperage causing her muscles to contract into rigidity, holding her upright. And finally, it burned itself out. She twitched a few times before collapsing in a smoking, twisted heap.  
  
"Ucchan!!" Ranma shouted, his heart twisting in agony. He rushed to his friend's side. Desperate, he felt for a pulse. Nothing. Turning to Nabiki, he screamed, "Go get Doctor Tofu!" Nabiki took off like a shot, not needing to be told twice. Gosunkugi watched her leave with a bored expression. He considered stopping her, but figured she would bring back more toys for his amusement. He smiled as he watched Ranma attempt to breath life into his best friend.  
  
"C'mon Ucchan, don't leave me," he sobbed between chest compressions. He checked her pulse again. Nothing. Weeping in impotent fury, he spun on Gosunkugi. "Why? WHY? She never hurt you! She never hurt anyone! Why would you do something like that to her?"  
  
"She was your friend," Gos replied with a shrug, "that was enough." He smiled patiently. Ranma stood slowly, shaking with rage.  
  
"Now," he whispered, "you pay." He stepped toward Gos. Kunou stepped up beside him. Gos grinned.  
  
"Now this is more like it."  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-   
  
A blast of light from the sky slammed into the dirt next to Ranma, who had tumbled out of the way at the last second. His hands came up in a defensive position, then he rolled forward, extending his fists as he did so.  
  
"Kachu tenshin amaguriken!" he howled. Gosunkugi rocked back under the assault, spitting blood. Kunou took this opportunity to attack the dark mage. Gosunkugi saw this and met Kunou's descending blade with an impromptu energy shield, knocking the kendoist unconscious. Swinging his hand up, Gos gestured at Ranma.  
  
"Glacies telum!" he snapped. A burst of blue energy flew from his hand and flew toward Ranma. Ranma tried to dodge, but knew it was futile. Suddenly, Sasuke was between him and the bolt. The frosty blast struck his chest dead center as Ranma caught the ninja and fell back. Glancing down, he saw that the diminutive retainer's chest had been frozen solid. Sasuke gasped in agony, trying to draw breath. A dreadful crackling told just how deep the damage went. He glanced up at Ranma, who was still cradling him.  
  
"Take care of..." he gasped deeply. Something deep inside of him snapped loudly. A trickle of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth. He winced, then continued, "...take care of Tatewaki-sama and Kodachi-sama, please, Ranma-sama. I..." he drew a shuddering breath, "I failed them." A single tear trickled down Sasuke's cold cheek. Ranma brushed it away.  
  
"No, Sasuke, no. I'll only take care of them until you can, okay?" he murmured desperately. "You didn't fail them. You're a warrior." Sasuke smiled at that. "You're a true warrior," Ranma repeated. Sasuke's head sagged back in against Ranma's chest. A soft rattling sigh escaped his lips as his eyes became unfocused. Ranma felt tears fill his own eyes. Another life marked against Gosunkugi's growing score, he thought. Gently setting Sasuke's body down, he stood.   
  
"That was meant for you, Saotome," called Gosunkugi. "How many more will have to die until you're satisfied??" He smiled brightly, his eyes gleaming with unholy delight.   
  
Kunou had regained consciousness and was kneeling next to Sasuke, sobbing. By now, Doctor Tofu had arrived. He had done his best for Ukyou, to no avail. Now, he stood in awe as the dark magus, a boy he himself had once pronounced dead, stood drawing on arcane powers and ravaging the world about him. He watched as Ranma stood and attacked Gosunkugi again.  
  
"Ranma, no!" Akane screamed. Ranma snarled and struck out viciously at Gos. Hikaru danced back, seeming to float just above the ground as he did so. As he retreated, Gosunkugi began casting another spell.  
  
"Postulo ex abyssus magnus maior maximus prodigium!" he cried triumphantly. A black portal opened in the ground a huge claw shot out of it and anchored itself to the ground. Ranma stared in horror as a massive creature pulled itself out of hole and stood before him. The portal slid silently shut behind it.  
  
The dreadlord stood almost 10 feet tall, with a long, black, chitinous body and six segmented limbs. It had an elongated, tubular head with tiny mouth at the very end and no visible eyes or nostrils. It stood on two immense clawed pads and waved four scythe-like limbs in the air around it. A segmented tail with a hooked blade on the end struck randomly about as the creature shook itself. Finally, two huge, black, bat-like wings spread out from its back. It shrieked a high-pitched wail and stepped toward Ranma.   
  
"What the he..." Ranma whispered. Gosunkugi smiled.  
  
"Hell come'a walkin', Saotome. Come'a walkin' for you."  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-   
  
Saotome Ranma was getting tired. The dreadlord was incredible. He had tried several times to get past its massive blade-claws, only to be knocked back once more, with yet another badly bleeding wound. Kunou hadn't had much better luck. Ranma was beginning to wonder if they were in over their heads with this thing. He was about to strike when he heard his father's voice behind him.  
  
"Don't worry son! We've come to help, eh Tendou?"  
  
"Right Saotome!"  
  
"Die, hellspawn!" they shouted in unison, leaping into the fray.  
  
Ranma had to admit it. The old guys were good. Real good. Especially working together. But it was obvious they were outclassed and outmatched by something as truly terrifying as a dreadlord. The creature's skin was as hard as stone, and their blows were merely glancing off. Gosunkugi was smiling as he watched, untouched, from his position behind the dreadlord.   
  
He was still smiling when a blade exploded from his shoulder. Hikaru gasped in agony as the blade showed itself, protruding through a hole in his arm. He reached up and tugged it out. The wound closed immediately, healing itself without a scar. The dark mage looked around, trying to detect where the blade had come from.   
  
"That was for Ukyou-sama," came a sob from behind him. He spun around to face a teary-eyed Kenzan Konatsu. The male kunoichi choked back another sob as he drew his katana. "She never hurt you," he whispered. "And I loved her, demon." He thrust the blade forward suddenly, but Gosunkugi was no longer there. He turned to see Gos standing beside him, gazing at him dispassionately. He tried to swing his blade again, but the dark magus was already casting his spell.  
  
"Magnus innominandum ex furor eversio mentis!" he said flatly, gesturing at Konatsu. The male girl-ninja gasped as an overwhelming sense of terror overwhelmed him.  
  
Akane watched in horror as the blackness rose from the ground and swallowed Konatsu. Konatsu screamed, high and shrill, as the misty darkness overpowered him and drove him to his knees.   
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-   
  
Ranma struck again and again, but he couldn't seem to hurt the dreadlord. His father was down, a claw-puncture high in his chest hampering his respiration and keeping him out of the fight. Doctor Tofu was looking after him already. Tendou Soun was still attacking the beast, swinging his naginata in a fast and furious series of strikes. He connected with most of them, but the abomination shrugged them off and kept coming.   
  
Suddenly, the creature's clawblade swung out at an awkward angle, catching Soun in the chest. He choked wetly, then spat up blood. Falling back, he started to fall when the dreadlord scissored two claws across each other, slicing neatly through the older man's right arm, just above the elbow, before coming together with a wet click. Soun twisted away, then fell back, gasping in pain.  
  
"Otousan!" Akane screamed. Nabiki watched in horror, her hands over her mouth. Leaping forward, the youngest Tendou daughter grasped her father under his arms and pulled him to safety. Tofu was at the Tendou patriarch's side in an instant.  
  
"Kunou, see if you can get underneath it!" Ranma shouted, dodging a bladed arm that nearly decapitated him. Kunou nodded briefly, then slid toward the creature. He might have made it, but for the dreadlord's hooked tail. Stabbing down like a lightning strike, it pinned Tatewaki through the flashy part of his calf. Kunou screamed in agony.  
  
"KUNOU-CHAN!" Nabiki shrieked, seeing a burst of blood spatter out from her friend's wound. Ranma felt helpless as he watched the bladed arm descend, preparing to gut Kunou where he lay. Suddenly, a familiar voice cracked out from behind the monstrosity.  
  
"BAKUSAI TENKETSU!" shouted Hibiki Ryouga, stabbing his finger at the hellspawn. The dreadlord not being a true living being, as such things are defined, the Breaking Point Technique performed its duty admirably. With an ear-splitting roar, the abomination vaporized. As the explosion died down, Ryouga stepped out of the settling dust, carrying an unconscious Kunou in his arms.   
  
"Ryouga!" Ranma yelled happily, running over to his sometime rival. Ryouga grinned toothily.  
  
"Figured you could use some help. What happened?" Ryouga's eyes wandered over the wreckage as he gently laid Kunou down near Doctor Tofu, who was tying a tourniquet around Tendou Soun's severed arm. Ryouga gasped as he spotted the two bodies under the sheets. Straightening up, he looked Ranma in the eye. "Who?" he whispered. Ranma's face fell.  
  
"Ucchan." Ranma's voice was dead. "And Sasuke."  
  
"Who did this?" asked Ryouga tightly. A small tear traced down his cheek. Fights were one thing. Death was quite another, and not so easily accepted.  
  
"Gosunkugi."   
  
Ryouga's jaw dropped. "What? But he's . . ."  
  
"Dead?" Gosunkugi Hikaru smiled at the other two boys. Ranma started and stared at the dark mage, who was suddenly standing right beside them.  
  
"Murderer!" he snarled. Gosunkugi managed to look surprised.   
  
"You, Saotome, are calling me a murderer?" he asked in disbelief. "You murdered me!"  
  
"You're not dead!" snarled Ranma.  
  
"No thanks to you!" Gos snapped back.  
  
"You killed Ucchan!" Ranma shouted.  
  
"Indeed, and she won't be the last!" Gosunkugi muttered. Turning, he gestured at the writhing form of Kenzan Konatsu, trapped within an inky mist. Ranma gasped.  
  
"You monster!" the pig-tailed boy snarled. "DIE!"  
  
Ryouga stopped gaping at the resurrected boy long enough to dodge out of the way as Ranma hurled himself at the shadow sorcerer. Gosunkugi raised his hand and snapped out a brief command.  
  
"Shrap!" he barked. A burst of metal fragments flew from his hand and struck Saotome in the chest, throwing him backwards. Ranma snarled and stood up, unfazed by the assault. "Incendo!" Gos turned and threw a ball of flames at Ryouga, striking the lost boy full in the chest and knocking him through the front of the Nekohanten. The dark mage smiled as he watched the flames explode up as they devoured the storefront. His smile faded as the wreckage shifted slightly.  
  
"You'll have to do better than that, dead-man," hissed Ryouga, walking out of the flaming mass. He brushed some burning timbers aside as he stepped out, death in his eyes.  
  
"Akane, get to safety!" Ranma screamed, seeing the look in Ryouga's eyes.   
  
"No! Not without you!" Akane shouted back.  
  
"Get Oyaji and Tendou-san to safety! They need you to protect them." His voice was low, but still carried over the sound of the building collapsing behind him. Ryouga was hurling bandanna-shuriken at Gosunkugi, who was teleporting out of the way, mocking Ryouga at every turn.   
  
With a choking sob, Akane nodded. Even with Doctor Tofu's help, Nabiki and Akane were struggling to move the wounded out of the line of fire and down the block to relative safety. Genma and Soun were barely mobile, and Kunou needed Tofu's help to walk. Akane looked back at the silently twisting form of Konatsu. Whispering a prayer for the dead, she followed her father, watching for danger at every turn.  
  
"C'mon, Saotome, fight me, curse you!" Gosunkugi smiled nastily as he drew on arcane powers to cast yet another devastating spell.  
  
"Fine! MOKO TAKABISHA!" Ranma howled, beating the dark mage to the punch. The superheated energy blast slammed into Hikaru at an awesome rate of speed, crushing every bone in the mage's fragile body before it slammed him back against the retaining wall that ran along the sidewalk. A wet crunch sounded as he smacked into it at high speed. Bonelessly, he collapsed to the sidewalk, a wet red stain on the wall behind him.  
  
"Finish him!" shouted Ryouga, moving in for the kill. Ranma nodded, not sure what his next move should be. As he stepped closer, however, he saw something that should have been impossible.  
  
Gosunkugi Hikaru rose shakily to his feet, a loud crackling sound issuing from his limbs. He stretched, smiling as bones popped and snapped in ways they should never have.   
  
"I'm not that easy to finish, Hibiki." He raised his right hand, dark energies crackling about it. "Atrum acerbus ensis ex perditio!" He thrust his energy-sheathed hand toward Ryouga as he spat the words out, sending a black blade of energy lancing out toward the lost boy. Ryouga dodged to the side at the last moment, as the black beam tore a furrow through the fleshy part of his upper left arm. He gasped in agony. It felt like his entire left side was dipped in flaming ice.  
  
"Auuuugh!" Ryouga gasped, grabbing his arm in pain. The pain was so intense, he was sure he was going to die. Die before he could get back to Akari. Die before he could tell her how he really felt. An image of her waving to him the last time he had left flashed before his eyes. He eyes brimming with tears, she had waved to him with a colorful little handkerchief he had bought for her in a place called 'Iowa.' She loved him. He knew she did. And now she would always have to wonder. Just because of this monster who wouldn't stay dead like any decent human being. He felt the depression in him grow, pressing him down deeper into the depths of his own despair.   
  
Dropping his head down, he watched as a thousand memories crossed his vision. Akane and Ranma, holding hands; Akari, crying when she thought he loved Akane more than her; Ranma, taunting him about his martial arts skills; Akane, sobbing out her love for Ranma into a pillow; Ranma, pushing him into the cursed spring of 'drowned black piglet;' Ukyou, laying still and silent under a blood-stained sheet; Akari, waving goodbye one last time.   
  
Sobbing, he threw his head back and howled in spiritual agony, a deep, primal, terrifying sound. Clenching a fist in front of his face, he screamed out the summoning words, the words that would empty him spiritually of all the pain and share it physically with those around him.  
  
"PERFECT SHI SHI HOKODAN!"  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-   
  
The explosion ripped across the darkening sky, lighting up Nerima ward as if the sun had suddenly reversed its course from the horizon to resume its place at the top of the sky. As the pillar of superheated green fire expanded, it devastated everything in its path.   
  
Akane watched in growing horror as the shockwave approached them. Turning, she threw herself over her father, shielding him as best she could from the blast. Screaming in pain, she felt the wall of wind strike her back like a hammer. As the winds whipped around her, she clung to her father's form. She felt him grasp her back with his one good arm. She whimpered slightly in fear and pain.   
  
Soon, the worst had passed. Looking up, she saw Nabiki holding an unconscious Kunou in her arms, rocking him back and forth gently. They had been spared the worst of the blast thanks to an uncharacteristically brave maneuver by Saotome Genma, who had placed his massive form between them and the blast. Wincing, he stood, checking himself over to see if he was still whole. Just beyond them, Doctor Tofu was pulling himself up out of the gutter across the street. He, too, began checking himself over for injuries. Having satisfied himself, he began looking the others over carefully.  
  
Releasing her father, Akane looked behind her at the devastation left by the perfect depression blast. A blackened crater was all that was left of the street corner where the Nekohanten had one been.  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-   
  
Inside the crater, Saotome Ranma picked himself up carefully and dusted himself off. He had expected a shi shi hokoudan. He had not, however, expected a perfect one. He wondered briefly what could have set the lost boy off like that. Glancing around himself, he saw the devastation wrought by Ryouga's unstable emotions. At the center of the glassy hole, he saw a hunched form, still glowing from the release of primal energies.   
  
"Ryouga!" Ranma shouted. The figure didn't move. He tried again. "Yo, P-Chan!" He smiled as the figure stirred. Ryouga looked over at him, too drained to even look annoyed.  
  
"I told you, don't call me that," he rasped tiredly. Wincing with pain, he stood up slowly. "Where's that walking dead-man?"  
  
"Dunno. I doubt he had time to do anything when you went off." He paused. "I didn't even have time," he noted, trying not to sound as impressed as he was.  
  
Ryouga nodded wearily. "Yeah. C'mon, lets find him and get out of this hellhole." He began to pick through the rubble left in the glassy crater. There wasn't much. Most everything had been vaporized or fused.  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-   
  
Outside the crater, Konatsu continued to writhe, silently screaming for release from the black mists that imprisoned him, body and soul.  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-   
  
"There's nothing here," muttered Ranma. He and Ryouga had picked over every inch of the ten-meter deep crater. Twice. Ryouga nodded and sat down with a grunt.  
  
"Maybe he got vaporized," he said hopefully. Ranma just shot him a look that said, 'Sure, and Akane won't mind when she finds out the truth about P-Chan.'  
  
"Doubt it. We ain't that lucky," Ranma replied with a sigh.  
  
"No, you aren't."   
  
Ranma spun around so fast that his pigtail broke the sound barrier with a crack. Ryouga was on his feet in an instant. Gosunkugi laughed, a brittle, evil sound.  
  
He was horribly burned, like a marshmallow left over the bonfire too long. His blackened skin was cracked in places, and a green fluid ran out from under his flesh in thin rivulets. He smiled, his skull-like visage a rictus of pain.   
  
"I may be immortal, Saotome, but it still hurts." He turned away from a shocked Ranma to an even more shocked Ryouga. "You will *pay* for this outrage, Hibiki." He raised a charred, skeletal hand and pointed it at the exhausted lost-boy. "Carneus converto silex!" he hissed.  
  
Ryouga blinked. Nothing happened. Gosunkugi just stood there smiling. Ryouga snarled and started to take a step forward, but couldn't. Trying again brought excruciating pain. He glanced down and gasped. His feet were completely grey, and the greyness was spreading up his legs toward his waist. He struggled for a moment, but was nearly knocked unconscious by the intensity of the pain.  
  
Ranma watched in horror as the solidity of the grey moved from Ryouga's feet up past his waist. The lost boy's eyes were wide with terror. He obviously couldn't move at all where the spell had passed, leaving solid grey in its wake. Slowly, inexorably, the grey spread to Ryouga's chest. A high-pitched wail began to issue from the bandannaed martial-artist's throat as he felt his belly and chest harden and go cold. He began to writhe in pain, twisting back and forth as his hands and arms began to solidify. The scream intensified in volume and pitch, cutting off suddenly as his vocal-cords solidified when the greyness passed his throat. Ryouga's eyes darted about in terror, finally stopping when the grey reached them and froze them in place for all eternity. And then it was over. Where once a lively, if depressed, young warrior had stood, now there was only a statue to immortalize him for all time.  
  
"A trick I learned from study on basilisks," Gosunkugi said, smiling vindictively. Ranma tore his eyes from the stone figure of his former rival and turned to face the dark magus as the boy continued, "Flesh to stone is actually a fairly simple concept, if a little tricky in the abstract." Gos's smile widened.   
  
Ranma stared through tear-filled eyes at the evil creature before him. In the time it had taken poor Ryouga to be reduced to stone, Gosunkugi had healed immeasurably, healthy pink flesh now in place where only charred and blackened pulp had been before. Even now, he was reforming, with only the ragged hole where his left eye should have resided remaining untouched.  
  
"So," Hikaru continued, summoning a new robe from thin air, "It is down to you, and it is down to me." He grimaced as he slipped the black robe on. "New skin is always so tender right after it forms," he explained, straightening the new garment carefully.  
  
"You monster," sobbed Ranma. His voice had a flat, dead tone to it. "You incomparable monster."  
  
Gosunkugi preened. "I'm so glad you think so," he laughed, brushing his hair into place over his damaged eye. The healing of his ravaged body was complete. Ranma snarled in hatred and charged at Gosunkugi. Hikaru smiled and gestured in the air with his hand. "Egredior locus," he said, waving as he faded out.  
  
Ranma growled savagely and leapt to the lip of the crater, hunting for his prey.  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-   
  
Gosunkugi Hikaru whistled jauntily as he headed down the street. He waved cheerily at the still-twitching Konatsu as he passed by. His smile grew by a magnitude as the group of survivors came into view. Still strolling casually, he raised a hand in greeting as he approached them.  
  
"Hey Akane," he shouted, still grinning. He increased his pace imperceptibly as he drew ever nearer.  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-   
  
Saotome Ranma was beyond pissed. The little punk had disappeared on him, and he had no idea where to look. Stamping his foot in frustration, he turned to where Konatsu lay imprisoned. He had already tried to approach the blackness, but a sense of inestimable dread had driven him back before he could come within five meters of it. He hated to abandon the loyal kunoichi, but Ranma didn't know how to free him from his torment. He watched sadly as the fogged ninja faded from view. Another name. Another death. Shuddering, he turned and started back down the street to where Akane and Doctor Tofu had taken the survivors.  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-   
  
Akane gasped as the robed figure of Gosunkugi Hikaru approached the huddled group. She felt her father grip her hand more tightly. She squeezed back, unsure of what to do.  
  
"Hey Akane," Gos shouted. Akane shivered, feeling a growing sense of dread creeping up her spine. She wondered where Ranma was.  
  
'He can't be...dea...gon...hurt. I would know,' she reassured herself mentally. She watched as the dark magus approached, cheerily whistling off-key. Off to her left, she heard Nabiki whimper softly. The middle Tendou daughter was huddled next to Kunou Tatewaki, who, though seated and immobile, had his katana out and at the ready. Tofu Ono was to her left, his eyes narrowed as he watched the oncoming mage.  
  
"Stop where you are, boy," a voice rumbled. Gosunkugi stopped, his grin would have grown even wider, were that possible.  
  
"Where are you, old fool?" shouted the mage, still grinning.  
  
"All around you, foolish boy."   
  
Suddenly, Gosunkugi was rocked by a series of blows, knocking him back and forth like a rag-doll in a hurricane. His grin faded and turned malevolent.  
  
"That was a stupid thing to do, old man," he snarled. Raising his hand above his head, he snapped out the words of incantation. "Dominus promptus videor perspicuus!"  
  
Suddenly, the bulky form of Saotome Genma faded into view. The old thief gnashed his teeth in frustration as he tried desperately to mask his presence from the undead archmage. Akane heard her father gasp behind her.  
  
"He must truly believe we are in dire straits if he is using the umisen-ken," Soun murmured. They watched as Genma apparently switched tactics.  
  
"Kijin raishu-dan!" snarled Genma, slashing at Hikaru with his hand. A blast flew from it, striking the boy in the chest. The mage flew backward, robes flapping in the wind like a koi streamer. He slammed into the ground a few meters away, landing hard on his back and shoulders. A sickening crunch was heard. Genma closed his eyes, panting hard. In his wounded condition, the yamasen-ken final attack had completely drained him.   
  
"Nice try, panda-man, but it won't work." Gosunkugi was on his feet again. His head was twisted at an impossible angle. He winced as he reached up and felt it. There was a loud crack as he snapped it around to the proper angle. "Now then, let's try again, hm?" He raised his hand and pointed it at the Saotome patriarch. "Plurimus scindo effodio," hissed the dark mage. Genma was knocked back as if by invisible blows. He gasped in agony. From her position behind the older man, Akane couldn't see exactly what damage had been done. Then Genma turned around to face her, a look of terror on his broad face.  
  
Two or three dozen cuts covered his round belly, the blood soaking into his white gi. He had his hands over them, as if trying to stop the blood. Suddenly, the shredded flesh gave way. Genma threw his head back, his mouth open and screaming as his intestines burst from his belly and uncoiled onto the asphalt. Akane screamed as Genma dropped to his knees. The terror in his eyes had given way to pure pain. His eyes bulged for a moment, then went blank as he collapsed face first into his own entrails. Akane heard her father wail in anguish as he watched his best and oldest friend die before his eyes.   
  
"OYAJI!" Ranma screamed, coming up on the scene just as his father fell. Gosunkugi snorted and extended his hand toward Ranma.  
  
"Lathargius nunc," he muttered. Ranma froze in his tracks, then dropped to the pavement bonelessly. Akane stared at her fiancee wordlessly, too afraid to speak, much less move. Suddenly, a sound erupted from the fallen boy's form.  
  
A snore.  
  
Gosunkugi smiled brightly, then turned to the group.  
  
"Enough!" shouted Doctor Tofu, standing up suddenly. "Enough, Hikaru. Why are you doing this?"  
  
Gosunkugi sneered at the doctor. "You of all people should know, *Doctor,*" he said disdainfully, putting as much contempt into the word as he could. "You're the one who framed Cologne for my murder." Tofu's jaw dropped.  
  
"How...how could you possibly know that?" he whispered.   
  
"Oh, a little white bird told me," said Gosunkugi, gloatingly. Akane turned to Tofu with a gasp.  
  
"Tofu-sensei...it's not true, is it?" She looked up at the man she had once thought she loved, a man she still held as an idol on a pedestal. Tofu suddenly look years older.  
  
"Yes, it's true," he said, his voice slack with resignation.  
  
"Why?" Akane sobbed. She could feel her young heart shattering within her. Not only was her heroic image of Tofu destroyed, but she now knew that Ranma was guilty of murder. Ranma, the man she really lov- She broke into weeping as Tofu explained himself.  
  
"I couldn't let them take him away. It would have hurt your family too much. It would have hurt you. It would have hurt Kasumi. I could not, could *not* let them do that." He looked at her brokenly. Akane wouldn't meet his gaze. Soun blinked at the doctor in disbelief.  
  
"Oh, gods, Ono," he whispered. "Oh, my dear boy. No."  
  
"I'm sorry," choked Tofu softly. Gosunkugi began to clap softly.  
  
"Well, isn't this precious," he sneered. "Apologizing to each other when the man who was murdered stands before you. Hypocrites." He smirked slightly.   
  
"You keep talking about murder and hypocrisy," hissed a voice behind him. Gosunkugi turned to see Saotome Ranma, glowing with righteous fury. "Yet you've killed my father and my two best friends."  
  
"True," agreed Gosunkugi. He smiled slyly and leaned closer to Ranma, as if to impart secret wisdom to the other boy. "Not only that, but I have no intention of stopping with them." Ranma started to step forward, but Gosunkugi smiled again. "Evincio somes," he whispered. Ranma found himself unable to move. Gosunkugi patted Ranma on the cheek, them drew back, savoring the shocked expression on the other's face.  
  
"Cruer infervesco," he said suddenly, pointing his finger at Tofu without taking his eyes from Ranma's. Tofu Ono screamed, his body writhing in agony. The doctor clawed at his face, trying to stop the pain. Suddenly, tiny spurts of blood began to jet from his body. A few drops spattered on Akane. She gasped in pain. They were scaldingly hot. Tofu dropped to his knees, still screaming. He began to cough up huge gouts of sizzling blood onto the street. Akane began to helplessly drag her father away from the steaming puddles. Soon, the doctor's gurgling had died away, leaving a sizzling body lying in the road.  
  
"Just makes your blood boil, doesn't it?" grinned Gosunkugi. He turned to Kunou and Nabiki. "So, who wants to be next?"  
  
"Face me in combat, coward!" snarled Kunou, turning his body, trying desperately to interpose himself between the dark mage and Nabiki.  
  
"Oooh, love to, Kunou-senpai, but it just ain't happening." Gosunkugi smiled brightly. "Ok. You next." He pointed his finger at Kunou, then swung it around to Soun. "Contero extorquero instar," he said flatly.  
  
"NOOOO!" Akane screamed. She heard her older sister echo her cries. "Please, no!"  
  
"Too late," muttered Gos, shrugging. He watched his latest victim try to move and fail. Akane backed away from her father, watching in horror at what was occurring.  
  
Tendou Soun began to twist and bend in unnatural ways, his limbs and torso turning in on themselves. He screamed, his body beginning to resemble a dishtowel being wrung out. The sound of bones cracking and snapping was incredibly loud in the silence of the street. Blood and other fluids began to seep from his body. The man writhed and twisted, screaming out his final words as eternal curses on the vile mage. Soon, he was silent.  
  
"No, no, no, nonononononono," sobbed Akane, burying her fists in her lap. Nabiki was sobbing frantically. She sounded close to a breakdown.  
  
"Ok, senpai, why don't we-" Gosunkugi's voice was cut off suddenly, choking off into deathly silence. He jerked like a fish on a line, which wasn't far off. A thin ribbon had wrapped itself around his throat.  
  
"I've seen fire and I've seen rain, and I have seen the sleeper beneath the waves," cackled a voice behind him. Akane watched in shock as Kunou Kodachi rose from her position behind Gosunkugi. The dark mage was turning a distinctly unhealthy shade of blue at this point. Kodachi tightened her ribbon. Her mad black eyes roamed the group. "Oh, oh, oh, motley crew, oh" she sing-songed. Hikaru twitched. "Ai, ai, ai, Cthulu, ai!" Kodachi screamed, jerking on the ribbon. There was a snap, and Gosunkugi went limp. Kodachi unwound the gymnastics ribbon and tucked it into some hidden space in her leotard.  
  
"Dachi," started Kunou. Kodachi leapt across the space separating them. She stepped forward and placed a finger against her brother's lips.  
  
"Shush, Tatchi. I must tell you what mother said. I just saw her and she wanted me to tell you all about-" her speech was silenced by a shriek from Nabiki.  
  
"Annullo omnino," rasped Hikaru, rising from where he had been on the sidewalk. His flesh was still a sickly blue-grey, but he was on his feet. His fingers glowed black for a moment before throwing a ball of dark energy at the gymnast's back.  
  
"Kodachi!" Akane screamed.  
  
Kodachi started to turn around when she was struck in shoulder by the little ball of black fire. Her unnaturally black eyes went wide, then cleared for a moment, their violet color returning for one last time.  
  
"Tatchi," she whispered. Then Kunou Kodachi was utterly vaporized by the force of the spell.   
  
Kunou's eyes bugged out in shock. He stared for a moment more before he started to crawl toward Gosunkugi.  
  
"Die, you wretch. Die for my sister." He flung his katana at Hikaru. Gosunkugi gestured, and the blade hung suspended in midair.  
  
"I think not." He gestured toward Kunou. "Interimo tui amor," he hissed. The blade flew back to Kunou's hand. He caught it easily. He looked confused for a second, then a look of pure, unadulterated horror crossed his handsome features as the blade began to move of it's own accord.  
  
"NOOOOOO!!!" screamed Kunou. The blade moved as if with a life of it's own. He tried to fling it from him, but it moved unerringly toward the target it had been given. He desperately tried to maneuver it back toward himself, but his grip was solid and the path inexorable. His eyes widened in agony as the blade slashed open the throat of a very shocked Tendou Nabiki. "No," sobbed Kunou, watching the look of shock and betrayal that crossed the face of his beloved as she fell to the ground beside him, gushing out her life's blood. Her eyes never left his as the light faded from them. "No."   
  
"Yes." Gosunkugi looked satisfied with himself. He glanced back at Saotome, still standing frozen beside his father's destroyed body. Turning back, he saw that Tendou Akane was in shock. She had just witnessed the categorical destruction of half of her family. Her body was shaking as she stared at the rapidly cooling corpse of her older sister. Gosunkugi looked mildly disappointed. Turning to Kunou, he smiled grimly, then gestured at the Kendoist.   
  
"For your *kindness* to me over the years, senpai," Gosunkugi said, his voice dripping sarcasm, "I will allow you to live. After all, someone needs to tell the world how the great Saotome Ranma fell to a *real* black sorcerer." Gos quirked a smile.  
  
"You do me no kindness in allowing me to live," whispered Kunou, still staring at Nabiki's face. He hadn't tried to close her eyes yet. Not yet.  
  
"I know," Gos said airily. He then turned to Akane.  
  
"So, guess that means you're next," he stated.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" howled a voice from behind him. He turned in surprise to see Ranma breaking free of the binding spell he had cast earlier. Gos blinked in surprise.  
  
"Well, Saotome, either you're a lot stronger than I thought, or something was wrong with that spell." He raised his hand to cast another. He would brook no interference. Ranma's hands suddenly broke free.  
  
"Kachu moko tenshin takabisha amaguriken!" he screamed. He pounded out a chestnut fist, throwing a tiny superheated blast with every punch. The bursts seared a hypersonic path through Gosunkugi's torso, eating away at it. Gosunkugi screamed in agony as the tiny chi bursts ripped through him, tearing his upper body to shreds in a matter of seconds.   
  
"No! I will have my revenge!" he howled. He tried to stand upright, but unfortunately, there wasn't enough torso left to support him. His arms and head folded into his destroyed body, then the entire thing collapsed in a twisted heap.  
  
Ranma dropped to the pavement. He had spent every spare ounce of chi in his body breaking free and then throwing thousands of tiny chi-balls at the mad wizard. He gasped for breath, trying to regain some of what he had lost. The pile that was Hikaru was already beginning to stir to life.  
  
"Genero validus vigoro," gurgled Gosunkugi. Silently, his form rose up, rebuilding itself at an incredible rate. Gos crossed to Ranma, and picked him up by the throat. The pig-tailed warrior didn't respond. He just hung there in the grip of the archmage. Gosunkugi snarled into Ranma's face. "You make me sick, Saotome."  
  
"Feel...feelings," he gasped, "feelings mutual, pal." Ranma even managed to work up enough saliva to spit into Gosunkugi's eye. "You go to hell," he hissed.  
  
"You first," snapped Gosunkugi. "Volo excrucio abyssus."  
  
Ranma screamed as he felt his form begin to dissipate as he was transported bodily into hell. Soon, nothing was left but a few curling wisps of black smoke.  
  
Gosunkugi turned to Akane's shuddering form. "Well, with that out of the way, maybe we can have some fun, eh, Akane-chan?" He leered at her. "You can show me some of those moves from the soccer field. Show me how you did Ranma. After all," Gosunkugi choked slightly, "I was in no position to take notes before."  
  
Akane stared up at the madman before her. She was completely confused by his statement. 'Maybe it's the shock,' she thought. She was still wondering about that when suddenly, Gosunkugi began to scream.  
  
"No! No, I'm not finished! No!!!" He began to shake his fist at the sky, screaming epithets and insults at an unseen foe. Suddenly, the ground beneath him opened wide. Gosunkugi leaped away, but clawed hand reached out and snared his ankle. Hikaru screamed as the creature dragged him down into the pit. His hands clawed futilely at the edges of the hole before it swallowed him whole. As his fingers disappeared beneath the rim, the hole slammed shut, leaving no trace that it had ever been there. Akane caught a whiff of brimstone as it disappeared. She thought she heard Ranma call her name, but it must have been her imagination.  
  
'I'm in shock,' she thought. She turned to see Kunou gazing down at Nabiki's death-white face. At least he had closed her eyes. She moved to him and wrapped her arms around him, something she never thought she would do voluntarily. He pulled her close. She felt his hot tears falling into her hair.  
  
They were still holding each other when the police arrived.  
  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
- Elsewhere, one year later -  
  
"Ilicet perfectus," murmured the figure. He finished gazing at the events that had transpired earlier, reviewing them within the globe on the table before him. Covering it carefully with a soft blanket, he rose and left the room, locking it behind himself.   
  
Stepping into the well-lit room, the man looked around in satisfaction. It was a large house, larger than most, but one befitting his situation. Walking toward the kitchen, he stopped by the open door to the nursery. Looking in, he saw that his son was sleeping soundly. He smiled to himself contentedly.   
  
Leaving the nursery, he continued on toward the kitchen. His young wife was standing by the stove, no doubt trying her hand at some new recipe. He slipped up behind her and laid his chin on her shoulder, his mouth next to her ear.   
  
"Beloved, are you happy being married to me?" he asked softly. She glanced up in surprise.  
  
"What kind of question is that?" she demanded. He shrugged.  
  
"Are you?" he asked again, straightening up. He was a tall man. She blinked at him. "I mean," he went on slowly, as if trying to find the right words to express his feelings, "I mean, do you ever wish you had married the other?" His wife closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them. She drew him down to her, until his nose was touching hers. She gazed lovingly into his eyes.  
  
"Silly man," she whispered softly, "I could love no other but you." She kissed him on the lips. She drew back and sighed. "Besides, he's been dead a long time now," she murmured softly. Seeing that he had sensed a wistfulness in her tone, she kissed him again, more passionately, then pushed him away. "Now go, I need to cook," she said, mock-crossly. He smiled and obeyed, as he always had. Crossing the room, he walked outside, looking up at the moon as he made his way toward the road.  
  
"Wish it were more clear this way," he murmured. He drew a pair of glasses from the sleeve of his robe. Donning them, the man resumed looking at the moon.  
  
"Still," he mused, "I couldn't be happier myself." He stopped walking, then Reaching into his robes, he drew out a small crystal and peered into it. A tiny figure was trapped inside, pounding on the walls of his prison, his mouth open in a silent scream. He regarded his pawn silently for a moment.  
  
"I should get rid of you, but you served me well." He paused, examining the crystal, then smiled. "Maybe you will again, Gosunkugi Hikaru, maybe you will again." He replaced the crystal somewhere in his robes, then turned back toward the house. Just then, his wife stuck her head out the door and called to him.  
  
"Coming, Shampoo," Mousse replied.  
  
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Hidden away from the eyes of men, Kenzan Konatsu writhed in continued torment and swore, one day, he would have his vengeance.  
  
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Finis  
  
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Author's Notes:  
  
Okay, some of you may complain that Gosunkugi is acting out of character. Well, he is under outside influence, to say the least. Besides, I needed an everyman who hated Ranma, and I didn't want to turn Hiroshi or Daisuke against the Ran-man.  
  
Admission time - Mousse is my favorite character.   
(if you ever read any of my other fics, you'll see that)  
Normally, I don't see him as evil, but he can be ruthless.  
(hey, it's the Ranmaverse, who isn't?)  
Also, I don't *normally* pair him up with Shampoo, whom I despise with such a deep and abiding passion that it makes . . . ok, truth, I don't really hate her. She just annoys me at time. Like Akane.  
  
Speaking of Her Malletness, I am a subscriber to the Ranma+Akane=Fate. In other words, like it or not, they're fated to be.  
  
Unlike some, I actually like Konatsu. I think he's highly underrated as a combat specialist. If anyone could draw first blood, it would be Konatsu.  
  
I like Ukyou. I do. I see her as the tragic figure of the series. No, not 'bottle of pills and whimpering 'Ran-chan' as she's slipping away' tragic, just, 'I love my best-friend' tragic. She's a very cool character. I like her best for Ranma. No, not for Ryouga.  
I don't like Ukyou and Ryouga together.   
(the author runs away screaming like a girl as shouts of 'infidel' follow him over the horizon)  
  
As for Hibiki-kun, I think he's a bit obsessive, but then, this is the Ranmaverse. Obsession is 96% of the game here. Aside from that, I think he gets a raw deal most of the time. 'course, he'd be a hero if it weren't for that whole P-Chan thing. Can't forgive him for that.  
  
--------------------  
  
Ok, soapbox mode off. :-) No more character ranting. now I get to rant about the story!! :-) Not much, though, I promise.  
  
Well, this is my first Ranma fan-fiction. At least, it's the first one that I've finished. It's also the first that I'm releasing.  
I'm, still working on the others. This one came to me in a fit of inspiration or whatnot. I'm still not sure why. :-)  
  
Yes, I know, it's an evil ending. But the entire concept was twisted and wrong to begin with, so don't be surprised.  
  
My roommate didn't like the ending. He felt that it reeked too much of 'deus ex machina' for his tastes. He also said that Mousse's appearance was too much like bringing in a character at the end. I disagree. I think that Mousse is a valid suspect. Sure, all clues point to Kunou-chan, but hey, that's what I'm aiming for. Misdirection and all that.   
  
Mousse is a magician. He likes misdirection. Right?   
  
QUACK   
  
See? He does. And so do I. That's why Tatewaki-senpai has glasses. If you don't like it, let me know *why* . . . and what you think I could do the fix it short of a major re-write.  
  
musing Maybe I could write a choose-your-own-adventure . . .   
  
Ja ne!  
Kouryuu Gendou Knepper  
  
http://www.gendou.net  
  
If you liked it, please, let me know.  
mailto://gendou_knepper@hotmail.com  
  
If you didn't like it, let me know nicely, please. :-)  
  
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Author's Thanks:  
I'm only going to name a few of the people who helped me out with this particular piece of fiction. I know I'm forgetting some people, and I'm purposefully leaving out others because they wouldn't want their names on a piece of trash like this. :-) So onward and upward, my friends!  
  
Pre-readers -   
  
Chris Bookless:   
I know you hate the ending, bro, but I'm not sure how to fix it. Thanks for reading it anyway.  
  
Justin Tarlton:   
Thanks for the comments, man. I think it worked out in the end.  
  
Brock Pierce:  
You read the whole thing first, amigo!  
  
Inspiration -   
  
Jaime and Bridget Wildeman:  
The very first Ranma fan-fictions I ever read were written by you guys. You inspired me to actually make the effort to put my first ideas on paper. I'm eternally grateful.  
  
Alan Harnum:  
Inspiration for Kodachi's little trip through the warp courtesy of "Alan's Lovecraftian Fanfictions Inc." You are capable of fitting more dread into a single sentence than any author out there. 'Dies Irae' is fell proof that 'short' doesn't mean 'fluffy' . . .   
  
Jack Staik:  
Darkfics. Angstfics. Sadfics. Realfics. Anything you *can't* do?  
(Ok, sure, not WAFF'y, yeah, but still . . . who'd want to?)  
  
Zen:  
Bitter End. You are my hero. 'nuff said.  



End file.
